Pickford vs. Martinez: The Goalkeeping Battle That Could Decide the Semi-Final

JACK PATMORE, “Mirror”

England faces Argentina tonight in a World Cup semi-final, with much of the focus on the attacking prowess of both teams. However, each nation will also be hoping for strong performances from their goalkeepers – Jordan Pickford and Emiliano Martinez.

England's shot-stopper, Jordan Pickford, has faced considerable criticism throughout the tournament, and now he faces his biggest test yet in a spectacular semi-final clash against the reigning world champions.

Despite becoming England's record appearance holder at World Cups with 18 matches, the 32-year-old goalkeeper has come under scrutiny after being at fault for two goals conceded in the knockout stages. In DR Congo's shocking sixth-minute goal by Bryan Sipenga, the Everton keeper was beaten at his near post. He then failed to intervene on Andreas Schjelderup's parabolic shot from a tight angle against Norway.

Whether you love or loathe his on-field antics, Emiliano Martinez has enjoyed a remarkable rise – from loan spells at various lower-league English clubs to a three-time Golden Glove winner. The Aston Villa fan favourite kickstarted his career with his move to the West Midlands club in 2020, before making his mark on the world stage.

From the fringes of the Argentine squad to one of the first names on the team sheet, the 33-year-old keeper played a huge role in two Copa America triumphs, the Albiceleste's 2022 World Cup title, and became a national hero with his penalty shootout antics and 10 saves from 24 spot-kicks.

Both are key figures not only for their respective Premier League clubs but also for their national teams. However, the perception of 'Dibu', compared to his opponent, is that he operates on an entirely different level. The match in Atlanta now offers Pickford the perfect opportunity to prove otherwise.

How the two are perceived
There might be an element of recency bias in the perceptions of Pickford's big-game performances. It's easy to forget how the Sunderland academy graduate saved Carlos Bacca's penalty with a superb one-handed stop in the tense shootout against Colombia in 2018, which was England's first penalty shootout victory at a major tournament.

While Martinez is deservedly lauded for his penalty heroics, Pickford also boasts such qualities. Despite the loss to Italy in the Euro 2020 final, he saved spot-kicks from Andrea Belotti and Jorginho, giving the Three Lions a crucial early advantage in the shootout lottery.

Over the past month, Pickford has again been required to perform under increasing pressure, and he did so admirably in the Round of 16 clash against Mexico amidst the chaos of the Estadio Azteca. His acrobatic interventions helped England through the first half, denying Raul Jimenez with two crucial saves.

However, while Pickford's key moments are impressive, they don't quite measure up to those of the two-time Yashin Trophy winner.

Most notably, Martinez led Argentina to their third World Cup title in Qatar. Without his intervention, stopping Randal Kolo Muani in the dying seconds of extra time with the score at 3-3, France would have won a second consecutive World Cup. The incredible left-footed save sent the match to penalties.

Subsequently, Kingsley Coman and Aurelien Tchouameni failed to beat the inspired goalkeeper in the shootout. Prior to that, Martinez also played a vital role in reaching the final, saving penalties from Virgil van Dijk and Steven Berghuis of the Netherlands in the quarter-final tie. Beyond the World Cup success, he also made crucial saves in the team's consecutive Copa America triumphs.

What the statistics say
From a statistical standpoint, both goalkeepers haven't been performing at their usual high level this summer.

Pickford has faced shots with an Expected Goals (xG) value of 3.5 but has conceded six. Martinez has also conceded six goals, but from an expected 4.5 – meaning both are performing below expectations.

While the Everton talisman has faced more shots on target at this World Cup (18 vs 14), Pickford also has an error leading to a goal, according to Opta. In a match of this calibre, he cannot afford such lapses.

Both goalkeepers are not shy about displaying fiery temperaments, but while Pickford can be described as inconsistent, Martinez's performance in big matches and key moments seems to improve when his emotions are on display.

Nevertheless, their Premier League statistics aren't too dissimilar. It's important to note that Pickford inevitably faces more shots on his goal due to a more permeable defence compared to that in front of Aston Villa's number one. Despite this, he recorded 11 clean sheets with a 66.67% save rate last season, an indicator of someone capable of keeping his composure and keeping his team in the game under constant pressure.

Due to suspensions and calf injuries, Martinez missed six Premier League matches during the campaign and made only five fewer saves than Pickford (95 total). However, his more chaotic displays are more visible on the domestic scene, where he made five errors leading to shots on his goal, compared to three for Pickford.

The final word
Ahead of Wednesday's captivating semi-final, attention is understandably drawn to the abundance of attacking talent, but the two men between the sticks also carry an intriguing narrative.

Martinez has repeatedly demonstrated his ability to perform at the highest level in the most crucial moments, but Pickford is still waiting to cement his place in English football folklore with a truly remarkable performance. The match against Argentina certainly provides that chance.

Nations that ultimately become world champions always rely heavily on their goalkeepers to step up in decisive moments. If the Three Lions want to win their first World Cup title since 1966, Pickford may need to produce an inspired save to stop Lionel Messi and company.

A clash of similar characters and almost identical goalkeeping styles – the 'Pickford vs. Martinez' debate could find its definitive answer on Wednesday.