‘Never know what’s coming’ - Jordan Pickford’s top three attributes explained legendary Lionesses goalkeeper Mary Earps assesses England’s World Cup No.1
Legendary Lionesses goalkeeper Mary Earps has praised England star Jordan Pickford for his standout attributes as the Everton shot-stopper remains the undisputed first choice heading into the World Cup quarter-finals. Having navigated a challenging path through the tournament, Pickford delivered an excellent showing at the Azteca against Mexico, which was widely considered his best performance in the competition.
Earps identified Pickford's distribution and direct play as key strengths. "Pickford is renowned for his distribution Earps observed He can boot that ball long I think more in terms of direct play he gets England out of trouble sometimes he tries to find Harry Kane for some hold up play or just to release the pressure gain some territory I d have him more as a long ball striker than maybe an intricate Ederson type." She noted this was a crucial element of England's tactical approach. "It seemed to me like a massive part of the game plan not quite PSG kicking out of play but it was definitely part of the game plan I think the first 25 minutes was to gain territory and not invite pressure and not try and make silly mistakes giving Mexico a chance" she explained.
The legendary goalkeeper also celebrated Pickford's unpredictable personality. "That was one of my favorite parts about watching him You never really know what's coming You never know if he's going to hold the ball on the floor for an extra 10 seconds or if he's going to give his defenders a rollicking Earps stated But I like that I like to see goalkeepers having a bit of personality and I think he's got that in abundance And I think that really came through the other night."
Finally, Earps highlighted Pickford's composure during intense moments. "I think the defenders did a great job as well But him and Dan Burn particularly in the last 30 minutes were taking crosses and defending crosses for their lives." Against Mexico in the last 16, despite conceding two goals, Pickford's display proved his crucial value as the squad face a rigorous schedule to build momentum for the crucial fixture ahead.