THIS IS FAR FROM OVER

Pickford: We are still in control and on course for the finals, and the defeat in Prague could be a blessing in disguise

with a determination to put things right. Pickford insists England must learn lessons from the Prague setback and use it as a wake-up call.

The Everton keeper said: “This is a whole new experience for a few of the lads. We haven’t lost a qualifier in a decade, which is unbelievable. Hopefully this is a blessing in disguise and we will bounce back in Bulgaria.

“Nobody likes getting beat but the good thing about football is that you can learn from this kind of defeat. You can mature. We will learn. We will debrief and go in Bulgaria.” Pickford said the defeat by the Czechs was all the more surprising because of how well England had prepared for the match in Prague, where victory would have meant qualification for next summer’s finals.

“I’d say ‘disappointed’ was the word after the game,” he said.

“We know as a group how much better we can be. You look around and you see the ability in the squad.

“We just didn’t knuckle down and take what we had been doing in training into the game. We trained well as a group all week so it was disappointing not to come away with a result.”

But there was no fluke about the Czech victory – England distinctly second-best.

“I was busy but I was ready for it,” Pickford said. “Now we will go again in Bulgaria. We can still qualify.”

If there was one positive to come out of the defeat in Prague then it was

Pickford’s peragain formance.the England No.1, who has been struggling for Everton, made a string of brilliant saves.

But England’s defence did look shaky. No real surprise given that Manchester United’s Harry Maguire and Everton centre-back Michael Keane are struggling for form at their clubs. Left-back Danny Rose had an off night and right-back Kieran Trippier could be replaced by Trent Alwere exander-arnold (left).pick knows the England defence m tighten up in Bulgaria.

The Everton stopper wen “I hate getting beaten, I hate ceding goals. It was a mi opportunity but we will bo back and learn from it. Qual tion is still there for us.

“Everyone knows about attacking ability and depth have in the squad. We Marcus (Rashford) on the b against the Czechs and he unbelievable striker and win

“But it is about keeping a c sheet. Set-pieces can cost yo games sometimes and they back into the game with a piece. Everyone knows how cial set-plays are in matches scored one, they scored one

TAKE A TIP Pickford says that England’s defeat was a wake-up call