Nothing can prepare a defender for it; the demands and the pressure, the intensity, the sheer remorselessness. They might have heard the stories, especially at major tournaments. But until they have done it, they do not know. Yes, playing in front of the England goalkeeper, Jordan Pickford, is certainly something else.
“It’s just the amount of talking,” the centre-half Marc Guéhi says with a smile. “It is a lot but it is good. I would say I am not particularly used to Jordan and it is a bit of a shock at first. But when you look at it, he is fantastic. It’s constant communication, constantly making sure you are staying alert and his clean sheet record speaks for itself.”
