Rudd or Ruddy?

[Dubai Mark]

I actually believe that we have two very decent goalkeepers who have both been let down by a team who do not consistently defend as a unit and by those obvious individual mistakes. However, a confident keeper is of course crucial, a keeper who gives confidence to his defence, so is it time for a change or, are you happy with Declan? Me.......I was not so keen on Ruddy losing his place originally, so I would certainly bring him back.

 

[Din]

Don't want to be pedantic but isn't 'Bring back big John' and 'Give young Declan a rest' the same thing? 

Anyway, it's certainly time Ruddy came back. Rudd had a decent run but, for me, Ruddy should've come back in a couple of games ago. It would surprise me if he doesn't play against West Ham.

 

[Canaryboy]

I'm just curious to see whether a break has done Ruddy any good, and the only way to find out is to play him.

No better time than after a run of 5 straight league defeats and 16 goals conceded, even if it would be difficult to pin the blame for any of those defeats on Rudd.

An in form Ruddy is better than Rudd. 

Rudd is better than an out of form Ruddy.

So, I'd be interested in seeing / knowing whether Ruddy has sorted his head out. 

 

[GJP]

Ruddy should have been back after Liverpool. 

Rudd just isn't the answer at this level. Not enough about him. 

 

[Wiz]

Big John.......come on down.

 

[It's Character Forming]

Since Rudd has come in, he's consistently played better than Ruddy had this season. Plenty of people are criticising AN for tinkering.  I think dropping a player who has not been playing badly would be the worst sort of tinkering.  If we brought back Ruddy I'd be worried that we would be adding to our defensive problems rather than taking a step towards solving them.

For me the basic problem is that Ruddy hasn't been the player we used to love, since he had that injury.  So I just can't see him becoming that player again after this spell out of the team.

 

[Gaffer]

We've only really seen the one big mistake from Rudd but we also haven't seen the impressive saves that we saw when he first replaced Ruddy. I can't see that recalling Ruddy is going to make any difference as he was also making the odd error and not many impressive saves.

 

[GJP]

Think you can easily argue thay Rudd should have done better with a number of goals across the Liverpool, Spurs and Villa games. 

Just because a keeper hasn't dropped the ball at the feet of a striker or let one squirm under his body doesn't mean he hasn't made any errors.

 

[Gaffer]

Just because a keeper hasn't dropped the ball at the feet of a striker or let one squirm under his body doesn't mean he hasn't made any errors.

Ruddy was doing exactly that though, wasn't he?

 

[KeiranShikari]

I've been asking for Ruddy's return since he was dropped.

 

[Beauseant]

Since Rudd has come in, he's consistently played better than Ruddy had this season. Plenty of people are criticising AN for tinkering.  I think dropping a player who has not been playing badly would be the worst sort of tinkering.  If we brought back Ruddy I'd be worried that we would be adding to our defensive problems rather than taking a step towards solving them.

For me the basic problem is that Ruddy hasn't been the player we used to love, since he had that injury.  So I just can't see him becoming that player again after this spell out of the team.

Sorry, but that's simply not true. Rudd started well but has become increasingly nervy. He gave away a penalty at Spurs, should have saved Stoke's second ,was amazingly fortunate not to get a red at Bournemouth after a rush of blood, pushed a shot out to Alli instead of for a corner against Spurs and was at fault for both goals at Villa. Not sure how bad a keeper has to be.

 

[Dubai Mark]

Lol I see what I did, and no Din younnot being pedantic, just correcting a bit of a blond moment! 

Dear moderator,  is there anyway this mistake can be corrected? 

 

[Beauseant]

You can have any colour you want as long as it's black!

 

[It's Character Forming]

Sorry, but that's simply not true. Rudd started well but has become increasingly nervy. He gave away a penalty at Spurs, should have saved Stoke's second ,was amazingly fortunate not to get a red at Bournemouth after a rush of blood, pushed a shot out to Alli instead of for a corner against Spurs and was at fault for both goals at Villa. Not sure how bad a keeper has to be.

Phew !  Rudd had better hope the peace talks in Syria don't break down, or he'll be at fault for that too !

 

[Beauseant]

Glad to see your not arguing against any of them. I have no axe to grind with regard to either keeper; they both have strengths and weaknesses. I do, however, find the way in which the goalposts (no pun intended) have been shifted  in favour of the "local boy" a mite frustrating. Those now saying Rudd should be forgiven his mistakes were invariably those shouting for Ruddy to be axed for his. It's not exactly a balanced view.

 

[It's Character Forming]

That's because you and I obviously see things completely differently on the GK debate Beau as I've said before and I disagree with you completely .  I thought that didn't need saying TBH 

 

[It's Character Forming]

But since you ask... The player penalised for the penalty (wrongly) against Spurs was Basso.  For the first goal against Villa it was a deep cross which you couldn't expect the goalie to reach and the header was deflected, so it's plain absurd to blame the keeper.  The 2nd Villa goal was a player through one on one similar to the goal Ozul scored against Ruddy... The difference being Ruddy was the original cause of that goal from a miscued kick out whereas Rudd wad not. It seems to me plenty of people are being much harsher on Rudd and ignoring the fact that Ruddy was making repeated unforced errors that gave away goals out of nothing...Rudd hasn't ..  And that's the lack of balance I'm seeing now.

i could go on and talk about the other goals you're blaming him for but I don't have time and you haven't given any reasons why you think he was at fault anyway, you're just saying this or that was his fault without explaining why.

if Ruddy is back tomorrow like some are saying, I really hope he does well and keeps a clean sheet.  My worry is that he'll gift another goal to West Ham and cost us points again, like he did at their place, and tomorrow is truly a season defang game for us.  So if he's named in goal, my heart will sink.

 

[It's Character Forming]

I was thinking about the pen at home against Spurs obv - I'd have to look back at the other one but I don't remember thinking Rudd was at fault at the time.

 

[GJP]

First goal against Villa the cross was a long time coming in. It was lofted high with no pace on it. Plenty of time for a goalkeeper to come deal with it. If a 'keeper can't come to attack a cross like that it's hard to see any that he could. There's also a suggestion that, having stayed on his line, he could have reacted quicker to save it.

The second goal was an error of judgement. Agbonlahor had work to do from where he was being that wide of goal but Rudd rushed out and made his mind up for him. Which was very similar to Firmino's second goal in that Rudd came off his line, went to ground very quickly and rather than make himself big he basically laid down and said to Firmino "There you go, just dink it over me, goal's yours". 

He's, at best, a mid-table Championship 'keeper. Which is still very, very respectable. But Alex Neil and anyone else would be kidding themselves to think he's the man you want in goal to keep you in this league.

 

[Dubai Mark]

Surely by just watching us play its clear to see that Rudd's confidence and also the confidence of the defence is not great right now. If this happens elsewhere on the pitch, then a change is expected.  We need experience right now and even though there is little to choose between the two, I want the experienced man between the sticks at this crucial time. I also very much agree that "he's one ofour own" Declan appears to get an easier time from the fans than Ruddy did when he was in the side.  A final point,  I was wondering which keeper the other players prefer playing in front of,  and have a gut feeling its Ruddy.