Not pouring cold water on the thread or being hyper critical of JP but he is nowhere up to international keeper standard yet. On Saturday alone he parried the ball back into the danger area that could so easily have gone to the opposition. No argument that he is a good shot stopper but there is still a fair distance to go.
It was different but at the same time, regardless of circumstances I have no doubt we could have done a lot better out of it. If we sell Pickford with the same level of savviness then we'll have ****ed up big time. I'd value him at 30 mil and wouldn't be happy with less, I rate him.
Best in the league perhaps? He did some incredible passes on Saturday, two miskicks as well to be fair, one of which could have cost us as it was very low. When he hits it right though which is nearly always he gets curl, spin, the right power and he does it all very quickly. I think Borini will be loving it when he's back. Edit: that's best out of the keepers btw not best passer overall. That's obviously Kone.
He's clearly going to become a England regular. So in the meantime it's sensible to nurture him by having him in the set up working with other senior keepers to learn off and develop him further. It would be an important experience for him imo.
But didn't - in parrying the ball back into the danger area - he also made a very good save (twice iirc). Worry about the ball not going in forst as a keeper - that's what I was always told as a kid playing in goal. Keep it out first - worry about the next bit afterwards
IMO where he parries the ball is one of his strongest points. 9/10 he parries the ball away from the danger area but because he did it once on Saturday people pick up on it. Seems to me as if people look to criticise our lads before anything else.
I'm not sure it's that clear-cut, we (England) have very good options in that position. Joe Hart will most likely be no. 1 for the next 6-7 years. Even if NOBODY ELSE comes through in that time, Pickford is behind Butland at the moment, there's no guarantee at all that he will progress any faster, he is only a couple of years younger. Hopefully you're right but I wouldn't think of it as a fact right now...
He's got some competition that's for sure. Forster, Butland, Hart just to name a few. Probably be more that I can't remember off the top of my head.
Butland will pass Hart quickly for me, Pickford we need to wait and see. He's got a great chance that's certain, especially being as he's been involved with England throughout the levels.
Trouble is we often fall for a sucker punch when selling (Henderson apart ) - think we are seen as soft touches - I fear that any 5 figure bid will get him -we've no bargaining power Who's his agent ?
Its suprising but those low kicks often went to a Sunderland player - they may not of all been mis kicks. Nevertheless he's got huge potential and loves Sunderland - His confidence in the pre match warm ups is amazing for a young player - huge future beckons
5 figure bid mate, there's been mentions of £25m and £10k on the same thread. Shows how many folk have no idea how your club is ran. The lads a kid, he shouldn't have a price tag, let him cut his teeth and see if he's got the mental capacity to hack top level football. It's more than just making saves and kicking balls.
