BREN: VARDY’S DOUBLE TROUBLE
And the Goodison and England goalkeeper hopes the club’s powerbrokers hold their nerve and stick with under-pressure boss Marco Silva, despite their erratic start to the campaign.
After the ruthless sacking of Unai Emery at Arsenal, Pickford knows Silva could well be next following a fan backlash against the Portuguese coach after their woeful defeat by Norwich.
But he hopes Everton can bounce back and save Silva from the fate that befell Koeman. “I don’t want to see the manager sacked,” said Pickford. I was here when Koeman lost his job and it wasn’t nice to see at all, it was horrible.
“We were in the building when it happened and you never want to see anyone lose their job like that.
“Emery has just lost his job after a bad run of form and, although a few bad displays shouldn’t put the manager under pressure, that’s the industry we are in. For us now, it’s about putting in a good performance.
“The manager has been great with us and we are behind him 100 per cent. ”
Pickford believes nothing will be gained by sacking Silva, with the players still behind the former Watford and Hull boss.
“The only way is to stick together and hope negative results will bring the best out of you,” he added.
“We might be in a sticky patch, but the squad is still together. Sometimes we have to look at ourselves as individuals and as a squad. It is not always right to
blame the manager. There’s still a lot of fighting spirit in the dressing room.” Silva and his stars must try to emerge from a daunting spell of three games in the next seven days, starting at Leicester today before Wednesday’s Merseyside derby with
Liverpool at Anfield and Chelsea next Saturday.
After that, it’s Manchester United and, despite a vote of confidence from director of football Marcel Brands, the games will define Silva’s future. “They’re three of the top teams,” added Pickford.
“It is not going to be
easy, but the opportunity is there.” A losing streak could plunge Everton into the drop zone – but Pickford sees it another way.
“You have to look at the positives as well. We are five points off sixth.
“Leicester are a great side, but we beat them last season – and we can do that again.”
BRENDAN RODGERS says Premier League defenders are now facing double the trouble when Jamie Vardy is about.
Leicester’s boss says the Foxes striker is playing the best football of his career and is such a handful he is doing the work of two players.
It is four years this week since Vardy, who turns 33 next month, set a Premier League record when he scored 11 goals in successive matches.
He has managed to find the net in the
Foxes’ last five outings, including a hat-trick during the 9-0 drubbing of Southampton.
Vardy’s contribution was highlighted on Match of the Day last week and Rodgers compared him to Barcelona star Luis Suarez, who he managed at Liverpool.
The former Reds chief said: “Jamie’s playing consistently at a very high level.
“For me, it’s like having two players up there because of his work and his threat. People sometimes ask me, ‘Why don’t you play with two strikers?’ Well, when you have the likes of him and Luis Suarez, who I had at Liverpool, it’s like having two. They are so good and offer such a threat.
“I mentioned Luis because he played as a single striker for me as well, they are so good that they can occupy defenders on their own.
“You look at his speed last week when he was breaking away – it’s a huge testament to him, how he’s looking after his body. He’s so dangerous and I think you’ve seen his intelligence as well. He’s getting better in how he’s setting up the game. Even last week at Brighton when he went through, drew the keeper, then squared it. It wasn’t on for him, he’s setting up his team-mates.”
Rodgers said turning his back on his international career is having a positive effect on Vardy’s club form.
He added: “During the international breaks he’s got a bit of recovery time. Not just physically, but mentally as well. There’s no doubt it will help him.”