WOR OF ATTRITION
Joe: We are stifled at home but get freedom in Europe
Joe Worrall reckons Rangers are relishing Europe – because they get so much less respect there than they do in the Premiership.
The Ibrox side go into Thursday’s return clash with Spartak Moscow protecting an 11-game unbeaten run this season in the Europa League.
But their stats on the continent are in stark contrast with their form on the home front, with 12 dropped points in their first 11 league games and a Betfred Cup semi-final exit.
Worrall believes that’s down to Scottish opposition sitting in and stifling a side he reckons should be beating any rivals by three or four at Ibrox.
Rangers’ 1-1 draw with Kilmarnock in midweek saw their first dropped points at home all season and the 21-year-old admitted: “In Scotland we face a lot of teams who sit behind the ball and give us a lot of respect.
“Whereas in Europe we’re viewed as underdogs and they come for us. We can then play through the press.
“The manager fields a team to get a result, tailor-made for the opposition each game. So it shouldn’t matter who we are playing. If we get the formula right we should be scoring two and three goals and blowing teams away.
“But 100 per cent, the players are disappointed. We haven’t played the best over the past few games.
“We’ve struggled to score and conceded some poor goals – I hold my hand up for a few of them.
“We need to stick together though, because the expectations are huge. You’re drawing at home and getting slaughtered.
“You need the pressure. You can either crumble or grow and start scoring every game.
“We should be beating teams three and four nil at Ibrox, it doesn’t matter who they are – unless they’re Barcelona.
“We are more than capable of rolling teams over.”
The goalless draw with Spartak at Ibrox 10 days ago was one of only three clean sheets Gers managed in a run of 14 games. However, the Nottingham
Forest loanee is convinced they’ve taken enough confidence from the result to go to the 45,000-seat Otkritie Arena and pick up three points.
Worrall, who also helped Gers shut out St Mirren yesterday in a 2- 0 win, said: “We should have won at Ibrox as we had good chances to score.
“We’re working hard in training, reviewing the game. Playing away suits us. We’re looked on as the team who should be scrapping for every point but we did well against Villarreal and Rapid.”
If he plays on Thursday night Worrall will have started as many European matches as league games for Gers. That’s one reason why he snapped up the chance of a loan move from the City ground to join Steven Gerrard’s side.
He said: “It had massive appeal – to go out on loan and test yourself at one of the biggest clubs in the world and get on the European stage.
“Europe is totally different to playing domestic football.
“There’s a lift from the fans, the city. When you are talking about the Europa League games there is just such a massive buzz.
“If we can keep producing in Europe it will rub off in the league.
“I’m already a better player for it. I’ve played for Forest and on loan at Dagenham – but this broadens your horizons. It’s all experience in the bank and I’m really enjoying it.
“Playing games is vital at my age. I wanted to be on the frontline playing, getting minutes under my belt, and so far I’ve done that.
“At Forest, you get 20-25,000 fans maximum. Here you’re playing in front of 50- 60,000.
“It’s incredible, there aren’t a lot of players who do that so it is a massive step in my career.
“It can have a negative effect and a positive effect. If you’re playing well and the fans enjoy the football you play then it’s really good.
“But if you’re not performing, conceding goals or not scoring, they can get on your back. I don’t blame them, I’d be the same. If I wasn’t a player I’d be doing exactly the same but you have to bottle up the good times.
“The Rapid Vienna game at home was an incredible atmosphere, probably the best I’ll ever play in.
“You’ve just got to bottle that up and think ‘I want that again.’”