First season he won all the dixie awards with a terrible defence so I’m afraid the defence was already bad before that. We blamed Joel, we’ve blamed Howard before that. This season and last season for me has been the defence we haven’t got a leader and that comes with pickford aswell. To say he’s the main problem is a bit of joke to be honest. Can you say Coleman has been good? No, can you say mina? No, can you Keane? No, can you say digne? No, can you say sidibe? No, holgate has improved but has he been outstanding probably not. But no, we’ll see it’s pickfords fault as he’s done a few mistakes. Like everyone does in a team. I get it’s a specialist position, but the amount of mistakes positionally and defensively that back four has done this season goes unnoticed as we as fans are to hung up on pinning the blame on one player. I’m not a fan of that. The leaders of that team are supposed to be Coleman, gylfi and digne? 2 of which are defenders who haven’t been good enough. Defenders who are meant to lead and defend? Get my point. The defence as a collective have not been good enough. It doesn’t start and stop with one person. Give your head a shake. Pickford has kept us in a few games and kept the score down on numerous occasions. I’m not gonna hammer him, can he do better? Yes certainly? Can others around him? Yes most definitely. Stop crucifying one player. It’s beggars belief it really is.
Give my head a shake?
He caught the ball 2 yards behind the line.
Call the defenders for their flaws by all means, but 1 key component of any defence is a communication and an understanding with the goalkeeper, who also should have the job of marshaling, instructing his defence. He doesn't do this. He just shouts at them when something goes wrong, even if it's his mistake. His distribution is atrocious and invites tons of pressure on us. His in game management is poor, his temperament is poor, his positioning is poor. His ego, his mouth, his immaturity, his personality, all red flags for me of someone who believes they are far better than their actual performances suggest.
A top goalkeeper should be a calming influence on the defence and the team in general. He is often the antithesis of this, and the occasional good save he makes belies his true, unreliable, erratic nature.
The defence you criticise restricted Newcastle to 0 zero shots on target for 93 minutes yesterday, and looked to be closing out the game effectively.
Enter Jordan.
He's nearly 26 years old, he's not a teenager learning his trade. I'm tired of losing points because he loses his head. 195 PL goals conceded in less than 5 full years. He is not the top Goalkeeper some people seem to think he is.