Shropshire Star

Wolves perfectionist John Ruddy wants more: "I've let myself down"

He's conceded only two goals in his past four games and has kept more clean sheets than any keeper in the land.

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Yet John Ruddy still isn't happy.

In fact you get the impression that the perfectionist keeper will never be completed satisfied with his performances, given his penchant for self-analysis.

He even went so far as saying he has let himself down in recent weeks, despite the lack of any glaring errors, certainly any that have led to goals.

"The least goals conceded, the most clean sheets, that's a great accolade for me to have and just myself, the defence has got to take enormous credit for that," Ruddy told the Express & Star.

"They've been superb in front of me.

"For the last few games I think I've possibly let myself down with the standards I've set myself but I'm an extremely harsh critic of myself.

"I look at my clips after every game and analyse them myself and wonder why this or that has happened, or why didn't I do this or that.

"We get all the clips on an app that the analysis guys use, we have access to that. After every game I'll have a look on my own.

"I'm old enough and ugly enough to know what I need to start doing and what I shouldn't have done.

"My missus will tell you I very rarely find positives out of my performances.

"I think that's something I've probably got to change because it's not the best thing to have!

"Over the course of the season I think I've contributed in a positive way and I think that's the way most people feel."

Ruddy has kept more clean sheets than any keeper in the country (© AMA / Sam Bagnall)

One of Ruddy's 17 clean sheets came against his former club Norwich in October, when Wolves triumphed 2-0.

They've lost only one game since then and Ruddy will hope for another clean sheet tonight. Not that the fixture carries any added significance, he insists.

"With the utmost respect to them it’s just another game," he said.

"They’ve had an up and down season, it’s fair to say. They had a really big equaliser on Sunday in the derby so they’ll be buzzing off that.

"We have to go into it knowing it’ll be a tough game, as every game in this league is.

"It’s nice to play against former clubs – but it’s even nicer when you win.

"Our biggest game of the season is Norwich. Come Thursday our biggest game of the season is Fulham.

"And that's exactly how we've got to go, game on game, and keep building and making sure we're prepared in the best way possible and approaching it in the same mentality we have all season."

Wolves' form since the turn of the year hasn't quite matched their pre-Christmas best, although they've now earned 10 points from the past four matches following a mini blip.

Ruddy believes the team need to start becoming more clinical as they approach the business end of the campaign.

"I think coming into this stage of the season we have to start being more ruthless in front of goal," he added.

"The defence has been rock solid pretty much all season but you can't keep relying on that at this stage.

"We have to make sure we're giving ourselves a cushion to really build from.

"Again it's the same as it has been all season – taking it a game at a time."