Why Nuno Espirito Santo must deploy Will Norris ahead of John Ruddy for Wolves
Wolverhampton Wanderers had been in the news for all the right reasons for a good majority of the season so far. Their powerful and dynamic displays caught the eye of many football aficionados this season but lately, their performances appear to be going through a slight slump of sorts.
They were held to back-to-back draws against the likes of Preston and Norwich City and while there is no reason to ring the alarm bells immediately, there has been some concern surrounding the displays of goalkeeper John Ruddy.
His inefficiency has been evident for a while now but it was harshly highlighted in the game against Norwich, which frustrated quite a lot of Wolves fans. He seemed to be caught by surprise when Nelson Oliveira scored the game-changing equalizer and that is not what one would expect from a goalkeeper playing for the best team in the Championship.
Whether or not they sign a new goalkeeper to tackle Premier League challenges remains to be seen but for now, perhaps it is time for Nuno Espirito Santo to provide a starting spot to Will Norris.
The 24-year-old keeper joined the club last summer and although he has not featured much, he has proven to be extremely effective in the very few appearances that he has made so far.
Blessed with lightning-fast reflexes and a cool head, Norris can understand the game quite well, which often helps him with making quick decisions on the field. In fact, the player even broke a record during his short tenure at the club so far. He is the only Wolves goalkeeper to have gone five consecutive matches without conceding a single goal.
One might argue that he is relatively inexperienced to replace Ruddy as the first-choice keeper but based on how poor the former has been of late, it will certainly not hurt to use a sensational talent like Norris in his place.
Their defensive record is not bad and at a face value, it might not even seem like they are facing troubles. However, to ensure they do not provide scope for more clubs to equalize and ruin their hard work, Wolves might benefit by deploying Norris ahead of Ruddy.
It does not have to be a permanent thing immediately – the club can very well take it one day at a time. But utilizing Norris will boost the youngster’s confidence while also allowing Ruddy to take some time off and rejuvenate his mind to come back stronger.
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