World Cup: Southgate sees Everton’s snowmen melt at Burnley
Southgate has a plethora of players he could fit into an open England setup, but it was probably Pickford starting in pole position from any of the players in this game.
He impressed in the first half of his personal audition to secure the No.1 spot for the World Cup with a number of good saves, but his positioning was correctly called into question by Jamie Carragher for both Burnley goals, which are mistakes you can’t afford to make at international level.
I haven’t been as impressed with a young keeper as Pickford since, ironically, the man who he is seeking to replace, Joe Hart, though Pickford clearly still has areas of his game that can be improved upon.
https://twitter.com/SkyBet/status/969922559188832257
Especially for the first goal. After Matt Lowton’s wonder pass put Ashley Barnes clean through, Pickford invited him to close in on goal rather than rushing out to close him down. Barnes RSVP’d with a thumping strike into Pickford’s near post to equalise.
Michael Keane returning to his former club lost his battle far too often against Ashley Barnes. Whilst his overall form whilst at Burnley brought him into the fold for the national team, his failure to kick on from that with Everton has failed to cement that position.
Fantastic save from Jordan Pickford.
— Paddy Power (@paddypower) March 3, 2018
What a laugh it's going to be when Gareth Southgate picks Joe Hart as his number one in Russia.
Theo Walcott will have also been disappointed he couldn’t make more of an impact, missing a golden opportunity to score, and not really making the most of his pace and skill which once made him England’s Prodi.
Despite it being Walcott’s cross that led to Everton’s goal, ex-Evertonian Aaron Lennon playing against his old club had a better game, which won’t have impressed Gareth Southgate.