Cascarino criticises Everton star’s ‘rashness’ which shows even when he plays well

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Tony Cascarino commented on Jordan Pickford’s position as England’s first choice goalkeeper.

Tony Cascarino says Jordan Pickford deserves to stay as England’s number one goalkeeper despite another mistake in the 1-1 draw against Manchester United yesterday.

In the Times, Cascarino criticised Pickford after he let Bruno Fernandes’ shot slip through his grasp and said he doesn’t exude an air of calm.

He said on Pickford: “You can’t question his performances at major finals for his country. At the last World Cup he was very good. He had a swagger to him and don’t underestimate that. But as we go towards this summer’s Euros you have to be thinking — can we trust him? His performance for Everton against Manchester United yesterday typified his season.

“The goal he conceded was a bad one. A top-class goalkeeper should be saving that shot from Bruno Fernandes. And there was a certain rashness about a lot of what he did, which even included the double save at the end. He generally doesn’t exactly exude an air of calm authority and that is what England must be looking for.

“Would I start him in the Euros? Well, my call today would be yes, just. But if I were Gareth Southgate I would be watching him very carefully between now and the end of the season — and then in England training.”

Cascarino is right in the sense that Pickford isn’t in the mould of a Petr Cech or Edwin van der Sar in terms of quiet authority.

He can be up and down, and his passion was seen as a good thing at the World Cup. But he’s made seven errors leading to goals in the Premier League this season and he seems to be slow getting down to shots.

Given England’s history of goalkeeping howlers at major tournaments, that will be a worry for Gareth Southgate.

Dean Henderson looms over Pickford in terms of the England reckoning but he’s raw and uncapped at senior level, so that would be a risk as well.

Another factor to consider is Pickford’s distribution, which is important for the way England want to play, and perhaps Southgate will be buoyed by the double save he saw his keeper make at the end.