[Football] Jordan Pickford

[Motogull]

There seems to be a school of thought that, to quote Rik off of The Young Ones, you need to be "a bit nutty" to be a 'keeper. I am not sure that I agree with that but accept that there is were most players that a not the full ticket seem to end up. The best examples are those that may suffer from Body dysmorphic disorder: Little Caspar (technically excellent but then again he was coached from a likely very young age) and short-arm Pigford.

I wish Piggy would be less of a prat, but he probably can't help it. If it helps minimise goals conceded, that's his job and all the best.

 

[Triggaaar]

Still a good chance it works though. Players generally have a favoured penalty they tend to fall back on when the pressure is high, hence the list. At the very least it’s forcing them to take a kick they’re less comfortable with.

No player can only take it one way. Sure they might have a preference, but they have to mix it up.

If your favoured and most often taken penalty is to the right, all you'd have to do is spend the next few days practicing taking it to the left. And given that you know he's going to dive the wrong way, you don't even have to hit it hard or near the corner, just your usual run-up, and tap it in the left.

My plan:
Pickford should have his list as usual, but should plan to do differently on one of the first two pens. Then, if they were expecting him to follow a pattern, they'll start doubting themselves.

 

[Triggaaar]

76 hoofs in the Euros in the four games before the quarter final
Nearest other keeper 44

So just giving away possession each time

Presumably what he’s told to do.

Yes, and I hate it. If we're being pressed and the opposition have a lot of players in our half, then a ball over the top is a good option. But he does it even when they have players back and we've got an easy no pressure pass to a defender in space. It has to be Southgate's instructions. If it wasn't Southgate's instructions, he should be blowing his lid at Pickford.

 

[Bodian]

Did he go the right way for all the pens last night?

It says "Akanji - Dive Left". Which he did, and saved it.

But which was the lad who simply put it down the middle? Not sure what Pickford had for that one?

 

[Nobby]

Yes, and I hate it. If we're being pressed and the opposition have a lot of players in our half, then a ball over the top is a good option. But he does it even when they have players back and we've got an easy no pressure pass to a defender in space. It has to be Southgate's instructions. If it wasn't Southgate's instructions, he should be blowing his lid at Pickford.

I mean most of them are somewhere in the general direction of Kane or Saka or Foden
No point hoofing it to the big man up front If we haven’t got a big man up front

Or is there…

It must be brilliant tactics - I mean we’re in the semi final of the Euros.
Guardiola, De Zerbi et al are outdated dinosaurs obviously
We’re going to see huge tactical changes in the EPL next season - loads of managers sacked for Sean Dyche clones from the ninth tier of English football

 

[Triggaaar]

I dislike him and get the feeling he isn’t particularly well respected amongst his teammates.

Why would he not be respected? He probably gets on well with everyone. On the pitch, he's tough as a goalkeeper should be.

 

[Triggaaar]

Wow. Also take into account that previous keepers were allowed off their line, showing just how awful our previous keepers were at penalties.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Yes, and I hate it. If we're being pressed and the opposition have a lot of players in our half, then a ball over the top is a good option. But he does it even when they have players back and we've got an easy no pressure pass to a defender in space. It has to be Southgate's instructions. If it wasn't Southgate's instructions, he should be blowing his lid at Pickford.

The difference watching Picky yesterday, and then watching Bart playing for the Nederlands was something to behold.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I mean most of them are somewhere in the general direction of Kane or Saka or Foden
No point hoofing it to the big man up front If we haven’t got a big man up front

Or is there…

It must be brilliant tactics - I mean we’re in the semi final of the Euros.
Guardiola, De Zerbi et al are outdated dinosaurs obviously
We’re going to see huge tactical changes in the EPL next season - loads of managers sacked for Sean Dyche clones from the ninth tier of English football

Chinny recon?

 

[Hamilton]

That honestly doesn't make sense. Of course they are terrible and of course that means he's busy. That isn't the thing that makes him excellent and theirbplayer ofnthe seasonnfor 3 sasons in a row is his ability to rise to that and consistently perform every time, under intense pressure and single handedly keep them up.

Luton, Sheffield United and Burnley were all much worse than Everton last season and their goalkeepers were much busier. It didn't make them players of the season. They were just crap, let in loads of goals and got relegated.

And he's not the best keeper in England. He's the best English keeper. By a mile

Nah.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Pigford is a bit of an old skool loose cannon krazy keeper tho eh? Only a matter of time til it next surfaces

 

[studio150]

He would have been a great keeper for The Crazy Gang, but wouldn't even make the bench for an RDZ team.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

He would have been a great keeper for The Crazy Gang, but wouldn't even make the bench for an RDZ team.

Maybe they could have Pigford stuffed and mounted in a dinosaur museum next to Southgate

 

[WATFORD zero]

I do think that just like de Gea and Lloris he (was) a very very good keeper, but football has moved on

Completely regardless of 'character' and on a simple footballing/keeper basis would you prefer Him or Bart in goal for us going into a 2024/5 season in the Prem

 

[WATFORD zero]

Maybe they could have Pigford stuffed and mounted in a dinosaur museum next to Southgate

Obviously, he's no Andy Goram

 

[Gabbiano]

Just needs to keep the spot warm for a couple more years until James Beadle takes it over.

 

[Butch Willykins]

Still a good chance it works though. Players generally have a favoured penalty they tend to fall back on when the pressure is high, hence the list. At the very least it’s forcing them to take a kick they’re less comfortable with.

100% this. Pickford is already living rent free in the heads of the Dutch penalty takers.

 

[TWOCHOICEStom]

Why would he not be respected? He probably gets on well with everyone. On the pitch, he's tough as a goalkeeper should be.

Respected maybe the wrong choice of words. But it doesn’t look like the team give too much of a shit when he has a go at them every 5 mins.

 

[trueblue]

No player can only take it one way. Sure they might have a preference, but they have to mix it up.

If your favoured and most often taken penalty is to the right, all you'd have to do is spend the next few days practicing taking it to the left. And given that you know he's going to dive the wrong way, you don't even have to hit it hard or near the corner, just your usual run-up, and tap it in the left.

My plan:
Pickford should have his list as usual, but should plan to do differently on one of the first two pens. Then, if they were expecting him to follow a pattern, they'll start doubting themselves.

This reminds me a bit of Mike Tyson’s quote that everyone has a plan until they’re punched in the face. I agree that they should practice different penalties and you’d think any top pro should be able to place it anywhere they want.

But then it’s the end of extra time, you’ve walked half the length of the pitch like you’re about to face a firing squad and it feels like the whole world is watching…

 

[Iggle Piggle]

He is the exact opposite of Jason Steele. Has absolutely zero composure with the ball at his feet - and playing hoof ball for the ginger dalek won't make that any better - but an excellent shot stopper and a wonderful shithouser in a shootout.