GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary 1,791 Posted February 9, 2016 [quote user="Making Plans"]Looking through this thread you can uderstand what AN''s problem is. He doesn''t know what his best or settled 11 is and juding by the numerous & varied ideas posted so far, neither do we[/quote]it is indeed ironic that in a post named "settled xi" that nobody can agree on what exactly it is.....maybe i can ask a different question??, who is our best player in each position, with a second choice in each one??........................Ruddy.........................................Rudd....................Pinto..........Klose......Bassong.......OlssonMartin.......Martin......Bennett.......Brady.....................................................................Redmond....Howson.....Tettey.....BradyHowson.......Dorrans.....O''Neil......Jarvis...............................................................................................Naismith.....................................................Hoolahan................................................................................................. .........................Mbokani..................................................Jerome/Bamford?...................all that I can ask of Alex Neil at this stage is that he is honest withhimself and picks who is our BEST player in each position, no shoehorning players in, no keeping favourites happy to the detriment of the shape and balance of the team, back to basics with people operating on the pitch where theyre most effective. If he does this ,I can have no complaints.....if we''re not good enough after that then thats a different issue. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lessingham Canary 99 Posted February 9, 2016 GJLThat is the most relevant post on this thread, sensible approach and hard to argue with ! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Highland Canary 76 Posted February 9, 2016 RuddWisdom Klose Bassong OlssonTettey (when available)Redmond Wes BradyNaismithBamford Probably down already so we might as well try and score the odd goal. Only hope is a new manager bounce but I suspect no action will be taken until relegation is mathematically certain. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Well b back 3,250 Posted February 9, 2016 [quote user="ron obvious"]Just wondering why people think Ruddy''s goalkeeping has improved while he''s been dropped?[/quote]Not sure if it has but Rudds is getting worse by the week so this is our only option Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jacko 0 Posted February 9, 2016 I would go for ----------------------Rudd-----------------------Pinto----------Bennett--------Klose------Olsson Redmond------Tettey-------Howson------Brady-----------------------Naismith--------------------------------------------Bamford---------------------Everyone in that lineup is playing in their most favoured position, including Klose who is a left footer. Give them a run of 4/5 games and see what happens. If the results don''t improve then we probably just have to accept it isn''t the tactics, it''s the fact we aren''t good enough. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary 1,791 Posted February 9, 2016 Ruddy ,before being dropped was generally ok, but was letting himself down by isolated errors in games that were costing us goals, and ultimately points.....i''m afraid Rudd at the moment isn''t even looking generally ok...no command of his box ,poor decision making in whether to come out or to stay in his box and isnt even making the one-on-one saves he was making when he first got in the side. Its not just him, but individual errors, goalkeeping or otherwise are no longer the reason for us losing.....we are just defending badly as a whole in every game..We have to be fair to both goalkeepers, if Ruddy was dropped for bad form then it is only correct than Rudd is judged in exactly the same way. I think its time to bring Ruddy back now.....when 2 keepers are out of form, lets at least have the more experienced man in the situation we''re in. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jacko 0 Posted February 9, 2016 Whilst I accept the points you have made there GJL, I would point out that Ruddy was pretty poor in that FA Cup tie against Man City. Certainly at fault for De Bruyne''s goal and arguably very slow to get down to Man City''s second as well. His kicking is also very poor and lands us in a lot of trouble at times. If Ruddy comes back into the side and makes mistakes then where does that leave us then? He looked absolutely shot to pieces in the Arsenal game by the end. The reality is that neither goalkeeper is good enough to be playing in the Premier League. By all accounts that link to Mandanda in both the summer and January was very genuine. Given what has transpired this season you can see why. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary 1,791 Posted February 9, 2016 ...well you''d have to take your hat of to the work being done by Dean Kiely.......managed to ruin 2 goakeepers in the same season !?! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jacko 0 Posted February 9, 2016 Has he ruined them though or are the raw materials just not there to begin with? I have a lot of respect for John Ruddy. He''s been unbelievable value for money and I think there was a time in late 2012 where he was arguably one of the 10 best goalkeepers in the Premier League. But since that injury against Everton where he ruptured his groin he''s not recaptured that form. He''s worked under a whole host of coaches in that time, including Dave Watson, who is regarded as being the best goalkeeping coach in the country. Yet that form had not returned.Declan Rudd has never really played above League One level before this season so it was always going to be a massive ask for him to come in and perform regularly at this level. It''s no surprise that after the initial bedding in period that his performances have dropped somewhat. I anticipate that if he continues to play in the coming weeks that we''ll see what his true level of competence is. I fear it''s not Premier League level but I hope to proven very, very wrong. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ron obvious 1,514 Posted February 9, 2016 Rudd has only really made 2 bad errors as far as I can see, -rushing out against Bournemouth & Villa. Ruddy was making errors every game. Rudd''s made several saves where I wouldn''t have had any confidence in Ruddy''s ability to do the same. Although he''s much bigger he seems to have lost the ability to dominate the box, so I don''t think we''ve lost much there. I still think, unless he''s regained some form, Rudd is performing better at the moment. (Incidentally, even excellent goalies make mistakes - anyone see Butland''s misjudged charge for the penalty on Sat?). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Well b back 3,250 Posted February 10, 2016 RonMany of the goals he is conceeding are not exactly errors but would not have been conceeded by other premier league goalkeepers. Clearly there is also something seriously wrong as we were not conceeding goals like this before Ruddy was dropped.The first 2 goals against Spurs the initial shots would have been pushed wide by most PL goalkeepers. MOD Sat night also referred to his error against Spurs.My view is Ruddy has to come back and we have to pray he is back to near his best or we will be relegated. If Rudd remains in goal I feel we will also be relegated.Just as per Hart we have to hope this episode has had the desired effect. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AJ 1,224 Posted February 10, 2016 We don''t have one, and therein lies half our problems.Our best 11 should surely be;Ruddy/Rudd (don''t care which, pick one and run with it)Martin Bennett Klose OlssonTettey O''NeilRedmond Hoolahan NaismithMbokani Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mrs miggins 0 Posted February 10, 2016 the problem is that you''ve left our best player out :( Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
westcoastcanary 0 Posted February 10, 2016 How do you decide who is best in each position without first establishing how you''re going to play? Are these "positions" somehow set in stone, or does e.g."Right Midfield" actually mean something different depending on game plan/tactical approach? What sense does it make to say e.g. that Redmond is "best" at RM and Howson second best when Howson plays a different sort of game to Redmond? What sense does it make to say M''bokani is "best" as lone striker and Jerome second best, when they don''t play the same way or offer the same to the team? If your setup required something resembling orthodox wing play, wouldn''t you pick Jarvis on the left above anyone else? In those circumstances would you ever pick Howson at RM? We hear a lot of complaints about square pegs being played in round holes, e.g. Howson at RM. He''s only a square peg in a round hole if you dig the wrong hole for him. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tumbleweed 106 Posted February 10, 2016 Rudd made some good saves against Man City too if I remember correctly and stopped them being totally out of sight before half time.My best 11-RuddyMartin Bennett Klose OLSSON Jarvis Tettey Vadis BradyNaismithMbokaniI think our glut of similarly talented players makes it hard, there are few automatics on the teamsheet. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GJP 79 Posted February 10, 2016 I would probably have a look at:RuddyWhittaker Klose Bassong OlssonRedmond Howson Tettey BradyNaismithJerome Share this post Link to post Share on other sites