October 10th 2024.
Roy Keane, a former professional footballer, was clearly unhappy with the performance of one particular England player during their match against Greece at Wembley on Thursday. In his role as a pundit, Keane did not hold back in criticizing Jordan Pickford for his lack of concentration throughout the game.
Despite England fielding a highly attacking lineup, they struggled to defend against Greece's counterattacks and ultimately suffered a 2-1 defeat. One of the goals was scored by Vangelis Pavlidis in the second half, which Keane felt was a direct result of Pickford's mistake. Earlier in the game, Jude Bellingham thought he had saved England's blushes with a late equalizer, but Greece managed to score a winner in injury time, marking England's first competitive defeat at Wembley in four years and their first-ever defeat against Greece.
The game could have ended in a much worse result for England, with Greece missing multiple chances and having two goals disallowed for offside. One of those goals was the result of Pickford carelessly giving the ball away in the buildup. Keane was highly critical of Pickford's performance, stating that it was a clear indication of his lack of concentration and urgency. He even went as far as to say that it could have a negative impact on the team as a whole.
During the halftime analysis on ITV, Keane further expressed his disappointment with Pickford's performance, questioning his decision-making and lack of urgency. He also criticized England's defending for Greece's first goal, noting that there were several players who failed to do their job properly. Keane was particularly frustrated with the lack of urgency shown by the team, stating that it was a basic requirement to defend properly.
After the game, Pickford, who plays for Everton, defended his team's tactics but acknowledged that they were not at their best level. He also acknowledged that setbacks are a part of football and that the team must learn from their mistakes quickly as they have another game against Finland on Sunday. Pickford's sentiments were echoed by England manager Lee Carsley, who also emphasized the importance of learning from the defeat and bouncing back in their next game.
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