Former Everton player Michael Ball has suggested that Jordan Pickford deserves ‘huge credit’ after two eye-catching performances.
Ball has claimed that Pickford has undergone an ‘up-and-down season’, but he has shown his class in Everton’s recent victories over Liverpool and Southampton.
Pickford has struggled for form and consistency this season and Carlo Ancelotti has used Robin Olsen at times. He has looked “erratic” at times and Alan Shearer recently picked Burnley’s Nick Pope ahead of Pickford when asked what his starting IX would look like if the European Championship started tomorrow and he was manager.
Against Liverpool at Anfield, Pickford impressed with his decision-making and concentration. He also made a brilliant match-winning save against the Saints that earned them all three points.
“In back-to-back matches Pickford has done that now. Two clean sheets have given the lads every opportunity to go and win the football match,” wrote Ball in his column for the Liverpool Echo.
“Huge credit to Jordan. It’s been an up-and-down season for him but those big performances, two different types of performance as well, were great to see.”
SL View
Pickford divides opinion among the fans.
His lack of concentration has been questioned often as he tends to make costly mistakes when nobody expects him to do so.
However, Pickford is a very good shot-stopper and he has got a fantastic distribution range. It is the consistency that is sometimes lacking in his game.
Everton are aiming to secure a top-four finish, and the Toffees need Pickford to be on top of his game till the end of the season.
In other news, Michael Ball claimed that Allan had to stay on the pitch because of the flow of the game against Southampton.