As per latest reports in the Scottish Sun, Steven Gerrard is looking to add one final player to complete his jigsaw after recently securing a deal for Hearts of Midlothian striker Kyle Lafferty. Nottingham Forest centre-back Joe Worrall is being linked with a loan move to Rangers. The new manager has brought in a revolution of sorts as he has signed 12 players in the transfer window so far. The defensive pairing of Connor Goldson and Nikola Katic have done well in a short space of time but, in backup options, Gerrard comes up short as Ross McCrorie is the only other viable alternative and the gaffer has often used him as a defensive midfielder.
The Gers have been after a left-sided centre-back for quite a while now and they have failed to bring in the likes of Jack Simpson of Bournemouth and Jake Cooper of Millwall. With just a few days remaining in the window, Gerrard is now targetting the 21-year-old Nottingham Forest man. We will try to find out here what can he bring to the table at the Ibrox Stadium.
Worrall’s claim to fame happened when he captained England’s u-21 side in an invitational 12 team Championship called Toulon Tournament where the Three Lions came out triumphant. He was also named as the second best player of the tournament and last season; he was regular for his club at the back as he made 35 appearances in all competitions.
However, ever since the appointment of Aitor Karanka in January, the Englishman has fallen down the pecking order and the Spanish manager doesn’t have any qualms in letting him go on loan as he has brought in the likes of Michael Dawson and Michael Hefele. The 21-year-old hasn’t featured in any games so far in the Championship or even in the Carabao Cup.
Karanka was recently quoted as saying,”If Joe wants to go and it is the right place for him to play and all of us agree that it is the right thing for everyone – I would understand that. But if he is going to a place and he is not going to play, he would learn more here by staying here and being around Dawson, Fox, Hefele and Tobias.”
What are his strengths and weaknesses?
The first thing which stands out about Worrall is his height. He stands tall at 6ft4inches, and he is an imposing figure at the back. He is strong in his challenges and his aerial duels but, he is often let down by his decision making. The defender is often caught out of position, and he doesn’t seem to know when to stick tight with his man or when to fall back deep and defend. He often looks nervy when he is on the ball, and when the opposition decides to press high up the pitch, the Englishman is susceptible to giving possession away cheaply. To sum it up, he is a ‘classic big tall no-nonsense defender’ who lacks a bit on the technical front.
Is he worth the fuss?
As a backup option, he is worth having plus he is just 21, so there is a lot of room for improvement in him. Playing under a good manager might bring the best out of him and Rangers would need an extra centre-half especially if they manage to make it through to the main draws of the Europa League.
Championship clubs like Aston Villa, West Bromwich Albion and Stoke City have also shown an interest in bringing him on loan and so the move won’t be that straightforward for Gerrard’s management team.
