Pickford: A ‘star’ in Everton’s dark sky

In the most special year of recent years, one of the Premier League’s most historic sides is once again experiencing the ultimate challenge, facing the specter of relegation head-on.

Everton are awaiting a decision from the English FA having now learned to live daily with the fear of another points deduction.

The situation may be irreversible, but in this climate it continues to thrive the most consistent football player of the last years, the Jordan Pickford.

The English goalkeeper is one of the few stars shining in the permanently dark sky of the Merseyside club and continues to prove that his level now exceeds that of the club.

After yesterday’s goalless draw with Fulham, the second in a row after the 0-0 draw with Aston Villa, Pickford kept for For the 8th time he has not touched his hearth and became the goalkeeper with the most “clean sheets” in the Premier League.

There is a reason why Everton’s Jordan Pickford is England’s No.1

He has kept more clean sheets in the Premier League this season than any other goalkeeper??#BBCFootball #FULEVE pic.twitter.com/gQWp7bGG2u

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) January 30, 2024

A thoroughly modern goalkeeper, with excellent reactions under the posts, great comfort with the footwork and an overall terrific presence, both for Everton and the England national team.

The fact that his team is almost consistently at the bottom of the Premier League does not affect his playing time in the national team at all, despite the fact that the competition for the “1” position is high. The federal technician Gareth Southgate consistently opting for the 29-year-old while leaving the also excellent Nick Pope and Aaron Rushdale on the bench.

This season has recorded 124 saves, marking the third best performance in the league. In addition, his consistency takes him to even higher flights, since he is in ninth place on the list of the most interventions in the history of the Premier League, having saved a total of 851 attempts to his home.

Corrrpic.twitter.com/fzCeX3y5mA

— Nath (@Nath_1878) January 30, 2024

Another characteristic of his is the ease with which he drives the ball and participates in the game of his team. One of the best goalkeepers in this category, he has almost 8,500 completed passes in his career so far. A performance that ranks him fifth in Premier League history, while his efficiency this season sees him rank third, ahead of some of the best of the genre such as Alisson, Vicario and Onana.

THIS Jordan Pickford pass. ?? pic.twitter.com/WtlkoXbQV1

— Everton Extra (@Everton_Extra) July 22, 2023

In the 2004/2005 season, Everton finished in 4th place, which is their best performance since 1992, when the structure of Europe’s top league was radically changed. Catalyst in this process was the performance of the team’s goalkeeper Nigel Martina veteran footballer with 372 appearances in the Premier League and 23 international appearances with the England national team.

Martin recently spoke about Pickford, praising his performance and suggesting his continued improvement will keep him at the top level. As he himself said:He prepares very well for the shots and that is very important. I think he is improving year on year at Everton and I think that improvement will continue as long as he is fit and continues to play at a top level».

Since being acquired from Sunderland in 2017, Pickford has been Everton’s most pivotal player. The club’s downward spiral “burys” his excellent performance, while doing injustice to one of Europe’s best and most underrated goalkeepers. The Englishman’s contract ends in 2027, but if the situation remains as it is, the time has come for a change of environment. Maybe this way he will get what he deserves at some point.

Edited by: Loizos Lainidis