Is Rangers titan only a ‘big match’ player?

Regulars to the site will know we’ve covered Joe Worrall a bit recently – and the big defender stood out for all the right reasons yesterday at Pittodrie, delivering one of his better displays in the shirt.

Away from all the questions over his value, his contract, and his commitment, we are most puzzled by his attitude;

If ever a defender was a big-time stopper, it’s Joe Worrall.

We can think of all the mammoth displays he’s given in the big matches – Rapid, Celtic and Aberdeen to name just three. There is no doubt Worrall has it in him to show up big time for the big occasions.

But then against your lesser sides, his head seems to go, his concentration vanishes and the mistakes arrive.

We all remember his nightmare at Rugby Park – a big part in Rangers’ only loss of the calendar year, and while he’s had just as many great displays as poor ones, his rare inability to produce on the small occasions and pretty much only the big ones does beg the question of what kind of defender he’s developing into, and what the point of him actually is.

Sounds harsh, right? Coming off the back of a fine display v Aberdeen – but what’s the point of a player who picks and chooses when he shows up, yet gets selected for every match regardless?

We’re frustrated by the Worrall situation. He’s going back to Forest this summer – he wants to go and that’s his prerogative, being a Forest fan himself. But we’re the ones stuck developing their player while Nikola Katic, who still ultimately did absolutely nothing wrong to lose his place, sits idly by.

And even more annoying is for every Celtic or Aberdeen display there’s a Killie or whoever. Worrall might be a big-time player, but we can’t have a big time defender who doesn’t show up half as much for the bread and butter matches. Mercifully recent bread and butter fixtures have been pretty easy – defence has barely been threatened.

But Worrall needs to grow up and start giving all matches his every effort rather than just the big ones on TV being shown in England.

Rangers would be better for it.