Rob Green has told the Football Show on Sky Sports (08/12/20 at 10:45 am) that Burnley’s Nick Pope is ‘technically’ a better shot-stopper than Everton main man in between the sticks, Jordan Pickford.
On the international stage, its the Everton keeper who is the number one, but for a long while now, there have been calls for him to be dropped.
Whilst Pickford has been near-on flawless for his country, for Everton he has struggled and has made numerous mistakes, including this season.
Green touched upon how Everton’s £30 million signing [BBC Sport] feels more ‘at home’ with England than on the club scene.
“The facts don’t lie,” said Green. “The facts are that Jordan Pickford has played in goal for England I think it’s over 30 times and he’s yet to make a mistake that leads to a goal.
“That isn’t the case for Everton. I think he feels more at home playing for England. He has had the same manager all the way through. And also Gareth Southgate views it that the ability to break quickly with the distribution of Jordan Pickford, with the balls he can strike to find the likes of Raheem Sterling is critical to the identity of the team. And also he trusts him.
“In the sense at who is a shot-stopper and who is better technically, I believe that Nick Pope is technically a better shot-stopper in that regard.”
Whilst Pickford has had numerous problems for Everton, Gareth Southgate simply cannot drop him because he hasn’t done anything wrong.
At the 2018 World Cup, Pickford was a standout performer for the Three Lions and he will be expected to don the main gloves for the delayed Euros next summer.
If Pickford were to be replaced then Pope with the guy who is standing right behind him, but whilst the Burnley man is perhaps a better shot-stopper than Pickford, the latter is much better with the ball at his feet.
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