Alious
Roy Keane harshly criticized Jordan Pickford for his lack of focus during England’s 2-1 loss to Greece at Wembley on Thursday. Despite fielding an aggressive lineup, England appeared vulnerable to counterattacks and eventually conceded when Vangelis Pavlidis scored in the second half.
Although Jude Bellingham seemed to have salvaged a draw with a late equalizer, Pavlidis struck again in injury time, handing England their first competitive loss at Wembley in four years and their first-ever defeat against Greece. The outcome could have been even worse, as Greece had multiple chances and two goals disallowed for offside.
Pickford’s performance was particularly concerning. He carelessly gave away possession leading to one of Greece’s disallowed goals and made a dangerous error in the first half when he hesitated with the ball outside his penalty area. Levi Colwill’s goal-line clearance saved Pickford, but Keane delivered a scathing assessment of the goalkeeper’s mistake during the halftime analysis on ITV.
Keane emphasized that Pickford’s lack of concentration sends a negative message to the entire team. He criticized Pickford’s lack of urgency and decision-making, suggesting that these issues are inherent to Pickford’s playing style and unlikely to change.
The former Manchester United midfielder also lambasted England’s defensive efforts on Greece’s opening goal. He described the scene as chaotic, with multiple English players failing to effectively challenge Pavlidis as he maneuvered through their ranks to score. Keane likened the poor defending to a training session that would typically be halted due to a lack of seriousness.
Keane argued that while there has been much discussion about England’s attacking freedom and style, the team still needs to master the fundamentals of defending and maintain a sense of urgency throughout the match.
In a post-match interview, Pickford acknowledged the team’s subpar performance but defended their tactical approach. He stressed the importance of learning from this setback quickly, as England prepares for their upcoming Nations League match against Finland on Sunday.
Alious
