Captain Joe Worrall says Nottingham Forest cannot allow negative thoughts to dominate as they battle to avoid relegation.
As one of the big characters in the dressing room, the centre-back is determined to lead by example by keeping calm as the Reds try to claw their way out of trouble. But that comes with an acceptance of the precarious position Steve Cooper’s side find themselves in with eight games remaining.
Defeat at Aston Villa last weekend extended Forest’s winless run to nine matches and saw them drop into the relegation zone. It remains tight at the bottom of the Premier League table, however, with only goal difference keeping Everton above the dotted line, while Leeds United’s cushion stands at two points.
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Manchester United visit the City Ground on Sunday, with the Reds’ home form likely to prove decisive in their survival bid. And Worrall knows how quickly the picture can change.
“As a defender, especially a centre-half, you can impact the game so much, but you can’t do it as much as say a central midfielder. You can’t really leave your mark on the game in the same way,” said the 26-year-old.
“Yatesy (Ryan Yates), for example, he can run box to box, he can end up right-back, left-back, right wing, left wing, up front. He can play everywhere. You can’t do that as a defender. You’ve got to use your leadership skills in a different way. Communication is massive.
“Being positive in and around the dressing room, before, during and after games is key as well. You have to keep the emotions steady.
“I know we are suffering quite a lot at the minute, with the games we haven’t won, but it’s important not to let it get to you. You can’t go, ‘Oh, alright, we’re down then’.
“If you do that, what’s the point? You just need to think, we have this amount of games left, we are playing these teams at home, we’re playing these teams away, so where can we pick the points up?
“That’s what every other team will be doing. We just have to do it a bit better.”
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