PREMIER LEAGUE PICKFORD PANNED
Ancelotti admits his calamity keeper must do better
CARLO Ancelotti has demanded a significant improvement from Jordan Pickford and has spoken to Everton’s goalkeeper about his drop in quality.
The England No 1 has had an erratic time since the Premier League restart last month. His last three performances against Tottenham, Southampton and Wolves have mirrored Everton’s team in general. And Ancelotti, bluntly, said the 26-year- old is ‘not doing well’.
Though Pickford’s place in the national team is under threat from Burnley’s Nick Pope — who has kept 14 clean sheets this season to Pickord’s eight — and the impressive Dean Henderson, there is no credible challenge to his position at Goodison Park, as current No 2 Maarten Stekelenburg is returning to Ajax.
Ancelotti is debating whether to bring in another goalkeeper when the transfer window opens but wants Pickford (right) to get back to his best. ‘I don’t know if he needs competition,’ said Ancelotti, whose side face Aston Villa tonight. ‘I know that he is not doing well. I spoke with him. He’s not doing well. He has to be focused on himself, on his performance. ‘I’m not so worried because he has quality. He has character but I have to say to him — and I have said to him — that he has to improve. I don’t know if he does or doesn’t feel pressure. Pressure is a part of your job. You have to feel pressure but pressure can be a good gasoline for your job.
‘I — and everyone else at the club — have total confidence in his quality. He can do better and he knows this because he is critical of himself. I hope there is improvement in the next games.
‘There is absolutely no problem (between us). For the quality that he has — and he agreed — he has to be better. My style is to have a direct relationship and direct communication with the players. If something is wrong, I have to say clearly what is wrong.’ Likewise, Everton must improve. Ancelotti was furious with the meek manner in which they crumbled at Wolves on Sunday and called their attitude ‘unacceptable’. Repeats in their final three fixtures will not be tolerated.
‘In the last few days we have focused on the attitude,’ he said.