{"id":298323,"date":"2023-12-03T23:24:59","date_gmt":"2023-12-03T23:24:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/?p=298323"},"modified":"2023-12-03T23:24:59","modified_gmt":"2023-12-03T23:24:59","slug":"matt-barlow-pickfords-england-spot-has-never-looked-more-secure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/soccer\/matt-barlow-pickfords-england-spot-has-never-looked-more-secure\/","title":{"rendered":"MATT BARLOW: Pickford&apos;s England spot has never looked more secure"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1> MATT BARLOW: Jordan Pickford&#8217;s England spot has never looked more secure&#8230; the Everton goalkeeper is getting better with age and can easily pick up 100 international caps<\/h1>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Jordan Pickford is continuing to cement his place as England&#8217;s No.1 goalkeeper<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>The Everton and Three Lions shot-stopper is only getting better with age<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>We expected perfection from VAR &#8211; we haven&#8217;t got it: Listen to It&#8217;s All Kicking Off<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Jordan Pickford\u2019s status as England\u2019s No 1 has never appeared more secure.<\/p>\n<p>The threat of any challenge from Aaron Ramsdale has subsided because he cannot get a game at Arsenal and Nick Pope, overlooked by Gareth Southgate despite his consistent brilliance at Newcastle United, dislocated a shoulder on Saturday.<\/p>\n<p>Dean Henderson has barely played in 2023 because of injuries and, although he is near full fitness once again, any return would dislodge Sam Johnstone from the team at Crystal Palace.<\/p>\n<p>Pickford, meanwhile, is performing better than ever. Southgate\u2019s sidekick Steve Holland was at Nottingham Forest to see him keep a clean sheet for Everton with a display to suggest he is finally mastering the art of concentration.<\/p>\n<p>It has never been his greatest strength. He can be erratic. Sometimes as if bored by a lack of involvement, desperate to make something happen and prove how talented he is.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/12\/03\/21\/78531533-0-image-a-20_1701640016067.jpg\" height=\"423\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>Jordan Pickford \u2019s status as England\u2019s No 1 goalkeeper has never appeared more secure<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/12\/03\/22\/78531627-12821045-Pickford_starred_for_Everton_in_their_weekend_victory_against_No-a-35_1701642857242.jpg\" height=\"461\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>The shot-stopper starred for Everton during their weekend victory against Nottingham Forest<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/12\/03\/22\/78531581-12821045-Pickford_is_performing_better_than_ever_for_both_Everton_and_Eng-a-36_1701642857246.jpg\" height=\"425\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>Pickford is performing better than ever for both Everton and England so far this campaign<\/p>\n<p>Your browser does not support iframes.<\/p>\n<p>At the City Ground, he did not have a save to make until the game was almost over. Then Forest applied late pressure and Pickford was alert, made good decisions and vital contributions. One explosive dash from his line to smother Anthony Elanga as he shaped to shoot was crucial and his kicking was effective as ever.<\/p>\n<p>Sean Dyche is a good manager for goalkeepers. He protects them with a solid defensive unit and does not expose them with a perilously high line and half of the pitch to look after. Under these conditions, confidence grows. It is not by chance Pope excelled under him at Burnley. Nor that Tom Heaton\u2019s international recognition came under his tutelage at Turf Moor.<\/p>\n<p>Just as Jose Mourinho\u2019s goalkeepers would look composed and assured when compared to Arsene Wenger\u2019s, who often looked on the verge of a nervous breakdown.<\/p>\n<p>Burnley won well on Saturday but James Trafford, England\u2019s highly-regarded Under 21 goalkeeper, has conceded 32 goals in 14 Premier League games, playing behind a team not designed to defend.<\/p>\n<p>Pickford is more capable than most with the ball at his feet but he is not going to be passing it around in his own six-yard box at Everton. Aesthetics are not central to the recovery process after a 10-point deduction. It is all about desire, spirit and togetherness in the fight to recover lost ground.<\/p>\n<p>Dyche is not about to decline the chance to channel the anger of perceived injustice to bind his players more tightly around his style of play and Pickford is one of his leaders.<\/p>\n<p>Everton are perfectly capable of escaping relegation regardless of the success of any appeal.<\/p>\n<p>Something that will not pass without comment in the red half of Sheffield, where scars of the Carlos Tevez affair led them to accuse the Premier League of doing all they could to preserve the grandees of their competition.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/12\/03\/22\/78531511-12821045-Pickford_is_more_capable_than_most_with_the_ball_at_his_feet_but-a-37_1701642857246.jpg\" height=\"413\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>Pickford is more capable than most with the ball at his feet but he is not going to be passing it around in his own six-yard box at Everton, who are sitting 18th in the Premier League table<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/12\/03\/22\/78531535-12821045-The_threat_of_any_challenge_from_Aaron_Ramsdale_to_Pickford_s_En-a-38_1701642857247.jpg\" height=\"425\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>The threat of any challenge from Aaron Ramsdale (above) to Pickford&#8217;s England position has subsided because he cannot get a game at Arsenal, with David Raya taking over his No 1 spot<\/p>\n<p>In 2007, the Blades felt unable to compete against West Ham, home of Bobby Moore, Martin Peters and Sir Geoff Hurst, despite eventually winning their case and more than \u00a320million compensation.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>This year, it is Everton, football\u2019s \u2018School of Science\u2019, Alan Ball, Howard Kendall, Colin Harvey and the \u2018People\u2019s Club\u2019. Without the lustre of old but with more global prestige and appeal than relegation rivals Burnley, Luton Town or Sheffield United can generate.<\/p>\n<p>None of this is Pickford\u2019s problem though. He has 58 caps in six years since his England debut and could easily double that.<\/p>\n<p>He turns 30 in March, with years of experience behind him, destined for a fourth major tournament, getting better with age and currently under very little threat from anyone else.<\/p>\n<p><span>Scunthorpe&#8217;s happier times\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Happier times beckon at last for Scunthorpe United. After falling from the second tier to the sixth against a backdrop of winding-up orders and rotten owners, they have secured the future of Glanford Park under a not-for-profit company run by fans, club officials and councillors.<\/p>\n<p>The Iron celebrated with a 360-mile round trip and a 5-1 win at Hereford to stay top of the not-very-regionalised National League North.<\/p>\n<p><span>Walsall&#8217;s great FA Cup upset\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Casual reference to Hereford and Newcastle as arguably the greatest FA Cup upset last week drew sharp response from the good people of Walsall, where they are concerned the toppling of Arsenal in 1933 must be vanishing into the mists of time.<\/p>\n<p>Herbert Chapman\u2019s team were considered the finest in the land at the time, on the way to the first of a hat-trick of league titles. Arsenal legend Chapman, nothing if not ahead of his time, made a few changes against opponents from Division Three North, but Cliff Bastin, David Jack and Alex James were all up front.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/12\/03\/22\/78531717-12821045-Casual_reference_to_Hereford_and_Newcastle_as_arguably_the_great-a-39_1701642857248.jpg\" height=\"425\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>Casual reference to Hereford and Newcastle as arguably the greatest FA Cup upset last week drew sharp response from the good people of Walsall<\/p>\n<p>Walsall thrilled 11,000 packed into Fellows Park with a 2-0 win, both goals coming in the second half \u2014 the first by Saddlers legend Gilbert Alsop and the second a penalty by Bill Sheppard.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>On the train back to London, Chapman told Tommy Black, who committed the offence for the penalty, that he would never play for him again and promptly sold him to Plymouth Argyle.<\/p>\n<p><span>Ashley Cole&#8217;s reminiscent masterclass shows evolvement\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Footage of Ashley Cole\u2019s masterclass against Cristiano Ronaldo at Euro 2004 has been doing the rounds on social media. Almost 20 years on, it is most striking how Cole wins his tackles without grabbing or pushing Ronaldo.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Perhaps the practice has evolved in response to those wingers desperate to tumble over any outstretched leg or because they want to turn over possession rather than kick the ball out, but the first instinct of full backs is so often to get hands on and grapple with the winger.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Cole now has his hands full as part of Wayne Rooney\u2019s coaching team at Birmingham City.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/12\/03\/22\/78531731-12821045-Ashley_Cole_now_has_his_hands_full_as_part_of_Wayne_Rooney_s_coa-a-40_1701642857248.jpg\" height=\"461\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>Ashley\u00a0Cole has his hands full as part of Wayne Rooney\u2019s coaching team at Birmingham City<\/p>\n<p><span>Sir Alex Ferguson&#8217;s watches Peterborough&#8217;s fightback\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Sir Alex Ferguson braved the cold to see son Darren\u2019s Peterborough United summon a midweek fightback from two down against Steve Evans\u2019 in-form Stevenage.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Having taken a point from one former Posh boss, Fergie Junior knocked another out of the FA Cup on Saturday with a 2-1 win over Grant McCann\u2019s Doncaster.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><span>Premier League&#8217;s global reach\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>This week\u2019s illustration of the reach of the Premier League\u2019s international tentacles comes from a brief encounter on the Athens metro with a young Albanian man who was wearing a Southampton tracksuit top because his favourite player is Adam Lallana, now at Brighton, who were in town to play AEK Athens.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3>IT&#8217;S ALL KICKING OFF!\u00a0<\/h3>\n<p><span>It&#8217;s All Kicking Off\u00a0is an exciting new podcast from Mail Sport that promises a different take on Premier League football, launching with a preview show today and every week this season.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>It is available on MailOnline, Mail+, YouTube , Apple Music and Spotify<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Your browser does not support iframes.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2017\/08\/02\/636x90_facebook_ad_sport.png\" width=\"636\" height=\"90\"><br \/>\nSource: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk\/sport\/football\/article-12821045\/Jordan-Pickfords-England-spot-never-looked-secure-Everton-goalkeeper-getting-better-age-easily-pick-100-international-caps.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>MATT BARLOW: Jordan Pickford&#8217;s England spot has never looked more secure&#8230; the Everton goalkeeper is getting better with age and can easily pick up 100 international caps Jordan Pickford is continuing to cement his place as England&#8217;s No.1 goalkeeper The Everton and Three Lions shot-stopper is only getting better with age We expected perfection from [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":298322,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>MATT BARLOW: Pickford&amp;apos;s England spot has never looked more secure - Sports Life Tale<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/soccer\/matt-barlow-pickfords-england-spot-has-never-looked-more-secure\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"MATT BARLOW: Pickford&amp;apos;s England spot has never looked more secure - Sports Life Tale\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"MATT BARLOW: Jordan Pickford&#8217;s England spot has never looked more secure&#8230; the Everton goalkeeper is getting better with age and can easily pick up 100 international caps Jordan Pickford is continuing to cement his place as England&#8217;s No.1 goalkeeper The Everton and Three Lions shot-stopper is only getting better with age We expected perfection from [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/soccer\/matt-barlow-pickfords-england-spot-has-never-looked-more-secure\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Sports Life Tale\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-12-03T23:24:59+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Robert\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/MATT-BARLOW-Pickfordaposs-England-spot-has-never-looked-more-secure.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Robert\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/soccer\/matt-barlow-pickfords-england-spot-has-never-looked-more-secure\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/soccer\/matt-barlow-pickfords-england-spot-has-never-looked-more-secure\/\",\"name\":\"MATT BARLOW: Pickford&apos;s England spot has never looked more secure - Sports Life Tale\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2023-12-03T23:24:59+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-12-03T23:24:59+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/#\/schema\/person\/74db1979fe71b5ea01513ec1ce5bc609\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/soccer\/matt-barlow-pickfords-england-spot-has-never-looked-more-secure\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/soccer\/matt-barlow-pickfords-england-spot-has-never-looked-more-secure\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/soccer\/matt-barlow-pickfords-england-spot-has-never-looked-more-secure\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Soccer\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/category\/soccer\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"MATT BARLOW: Pickford&apos;s England spot has never looked more secure\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/\",\"name\":\"Sports Life Tale\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/#\/schema\/person\/74db1979fe71b5ea01513ec1ce5bc609\",\"name\":\"Robert\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d7cef2e0d8d634cb49d54f7c48b549a1?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d7cef2e0d8d634cb49d54f7c48b549a1?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Robert\"}}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"MATT BARLOW: Pickford&apos;s England spot has never looked more secure - Sports Life Tale","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/soccer\/matt-barlow-pickfords-england-spot-has-never-looked-more-secure\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"MATT BARLOW: Pickford&apos;s England spot has never looked more secure - Sports Life Tale","og_description":"MATT BARLOW: Jordan Pickford&#8217;s England spot has never looked more secure&#8230; the Everton goalkeeper is getting better with age and can easily pick up 100 international caps Jordan Pickford is continuing to cement his place as England&#8217;s No.1 goalkeeper The Everton and Three Lions shot-stopper is only getting better with age We expected perfection from [&hellip;]","og_url":"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/soccer\/matt-barlow-pickfords-england-spot-has-never-looked-more-secure\/","og_site_name":"Sports Life Tale","article_published_time":"2023-12-03T23:24:59+00:00","author":"Robert","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_image":"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/MATT-BARLOW-Pickfordaposs-England-spot-has-never-looked-more-secure.jpg","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Robert","Est. reading time":"7 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/soccer\/matt-barlow-pickfords-england-spot-has-never-looked-more-secure\/","url":"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/soccer\/matt-barlow-pickfords-england-spot-has-never-looked-more-secure\/","name":"MATT BARLOW: Pickford&apos;s England spot has never looked more secure - Sports Life Tale","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/#website"},"datePublished":"2023-12-03T23:24:59+00:00","dateModified":"2023-12-03T23:24:59+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/#\/schema\/person\/74db1979fe71b5ea01513ec1ce5bc609"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/soccer\/matt-barlow-pickfords-england-spot-has-never-looked-more-secure\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/soccer\/matt-barlow-pickfords-england-spot-has-never-looked-more-secure\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/soccer\/matt-barlow-pickfords-england-spot-has-never-looked-more-secure\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Soccer","item":"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/category\/soccer\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"MATT BARLOW: Pickford&apos;s England spot has never looked more secure"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/","name":"Sports Life Tale","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/#\/schema\/person\/74db1979fe71b5ea01513ec1ce5bc609","name":"Robert","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d7cef2e0d8d634cb49d54f7c48b549a1?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d7cef2e0d8d634cb49d54f7c48b549a1?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Robert"}}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/298323"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=298323"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/298323\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/298322"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=298323"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=298323"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=298323"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}