England cannot win the World Cup with Jordan Pickford as first choice goalkeeper, believes former Premier League striker Troy Deeney.
Pickford won his 85th cap for the Three Lions in the 4-2 win over Croatia on Wednesday night as England began their World Cup campaign in style.
The Everton goalkeeper made his international debut in late 2017 and has been a mainstay of the team ever since, proving a very reliable performer under the Gareth Southgate reign and now with Thomas Tuchel in charge.
However, former Watford and Birmingham City forward Deeney is still notconvinced by the 32-year-old after all these years in an England shirt.
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In fact, he feels England cannot win the World Cup this summer because of the former Sunderland stopper.
On CBS Sports, Deeney was asked if he felt Pickford was too chaotic, replying: ‘To say the least, yeah. I don’t really know the stats and all of that. I’m just saying what my eyes told me.
‘I still think he should have saved the first one [Croatia goal], that’s my opinion. I think when you get a hand to it, it’s got to be a solid hand and keep it out.
‘There’s just that feeling when I watch Jordan…there’s a shot from 50 yards and it trickles to him and he’s screaming at everyone, “Do your job! Don’t let any shots come in!”
‘Every time he parries one, fouls someone, does whatever, he’s like, “Don’t look at me!”
‘We’re trying to win a World Cup. That’s why we’re here. In my opinion, and respectfully Jordan, because you know I like you. We can’t win it with that guy in goal. He doesn’t give you any confidence.’
Harry Maguire, who did not make the England squad but has played with Pickford many times for the Three Lions, actually thought the goalkeeper was ‘really calm under pressure’ against Croatia.
Speaking on The Rest is Football about Tuchel’s tactical approach, the Manchester United defender said: ‘I think tactically a lot of people looked at the squad he picked and thought they were going to sit in and play on the counter-attack but I thought it would eb the opposite.
‘I think we’ve got four lads in the back four who all want to build up.
‘I think Picks [Pickford] today was really calm. Really, really calm under pressure.
‘I think the two in central midfield want to take the ball. I think the wide wingers, he’s big on pressure and counter-press. So I think we’re going to build up but I think the flip side is we’re going to press high and press in their half and I think we saw that today.’