David Moyes will be angry over Spurs goals - Jordan Pickford must learn from Everton legend
EXCLUSIVE: Former Everton striker Tony Cottee believes Jordan Pickford should have been more proactive dealing with corner-kicks taken by Tottenham Hotspur
Tony Cottee believes that David Moyes is building a team around Jordan Pickford, but he reckons the England number one should have taken a leaf out of Everton legend Neville Southall’s book when it came to dealing with the corners that resulted in the first two goals for Tottenham Hotspur in their 3-0 win at Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Going into their fixture against Thomas Frank’s side, Moyes’ men were the only team left in the Premier League this season not to have conceded from a set-piece. However, lightning struck twice in the same place as Spurs captain bagged a brace of headers from corner-kicks to ensure the Blues suffered their first defeat in a competitive match at their new 52,769 capacity home on the Mersey waterfront.
Cottee told the ECHO: “I think David Moyes will be really angry with the fact that they conceded the two goals from the corners. I know it’s a bit harsh but I’m a bit old school and I always feel like it’s a goalkeeper’s ball when it’s in the six-yard box.
“I know what Neville Southall would have done. He’d have smashed everyone out of the way and punched the ball as far as possible.
“There was a lot of jostling going on in the box and they were just really poor goals to concede, which is unlike Everton when you’ve got those good centre-halves James Tarkowski and Michael Keane while Jake O’Brien is also a big lad. I’m pretty certain David Moyes and his Everton players will pride themselves on good defending, so that will have annoyed them but if you go a couple of goals down to a good Spurs team, it’s always going to be difficult.”
Cottee, speaking in association with best mobile casino UK, believes the problem is part of a larger football-wide issue though. He said: “I don’t think it’s just Jordan, I’m not picking on him, it’s modern day goalkeepers. I feel that sometimes now, not just goalkeepers but outfield players too, they’re almost more focused on trying to get a foul than dealing with the situation and doing their job.
“From a forward’s point of view, get a nick to the ball, let the defender take you out, then you get your penalty. Don’t always go looking for the penalty.
“If you reverse it, when I played my job was to stand on the goalkeeper for corners. I’m never going to head the ball in, I’m 5ft 7in, but stamp on the goalkeeper, make it awkward, give them a nudge and try and make it difficult to get round you.
“I know goalkeepers are well protected now but it feels to me that they’re almost waiting for the referee to blow the whistle, rather than coming out and smashing everyone out of the way.”
The 60-year-old reckons Pickford, who has broken Gordon Banks’ record for consecutive England clean sheets and Peter Shilton’s record for the most clean sheets in major tournaments, is still undervalued by many across the country though, and believed that manager David Moyes will be considering him to be a key figure now that the goalkeeper has penned a new four-year deal. Cottee said: “I don’t want to be too critical because Jordan has been a fantastic servant for Everton and England as well. Maybe it sounds like nit-picking but when you’re a goalkeeper and six-foot odd, be strong, push everyone out of the way and take them with you – that’s what Neville would have done.
“Jordan probably still doesn’t get the credit he deserves nationally. Of course, goalkeepers are going to make mistakes but because of their position, when something happens it gets blown up even more.
“As a striker, you can miss a chance and people probably don’t say anything, but as a goalkeeper, if you make a mistake, it’s all: ‘He was useless,’ and blah, blah, blah. I think it’s easy to pick on Jordan but in general his game has really improved in recent years and he seems like a really vocal character and the kind of dressing room leader that you want.
“He thoroughly deserves his new contract and going forward, he’s the type of player that you want to build your team around. I know David Moyes will be doing that.”