Nottingham Forest will be in trouble if Scott McKenna has to play every week, according to TalkSPORT reporter Alex Crook. The claim was made after the Reds defeated Sheffield United at the City Ground on Friday night.
The Reds won 2-1 thanks to goals from Taiwo Awoniyi and Chris Wood. Crook was on air this morning and he believes they will be fine this season going forward but has reservations about McKenna defensively.
It was a strange performance from the Scotland star. He won eight aerial duels and made six clearances but he did make some errors during the contest which allowed the Blades a bit of a foothold in the game.
McKenna has been a decent servant to the Forest cause and he’s as honest as the day is long. Perhaps this wasn’t his finest hour but ultimately, he’s only considered a backup when everyone is fit.
Crook has suggested that Forest need to get some defensive solidity identified. He doesn’t think they can kick on if McKenna is tasked with starting for the club in every game.
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He told TalkSPORT: “Scott McKenna, with the greatest will in the world, if you’ve got him in your team all season, you’re going to concede goals. Going forward, Forest did fine. They will score goals but it’s conceding them where I worry for them.”
Crook makes claim about Forest man McKenna
Once again, this is probably a little bit wide of the mark from Crook. McKenna is a capable understudy but when Moussa Niakhate and Felipe are both fit, it’s likely that they will play alongside Joe Worrall as a three.
The Scotland man is likely to be considered a backup option again this season. He will understand what to expect from the Premier League and he will be under no illusions as to his standing in the pecking order.
McKenna always gives his all for Forest. He’s proved a good signing for the club and hopefully, he can keep learning and improving as a Premier League player.
Forest won’t have the 26-year-old starting every single week. Although he made a few mistakes on Saturday, the team still won and McKenna is a player that typically learns from his errors.
It’s easy to see what Crook is saying but his opinion is a little bit skewed. Hopefully, Forest can get their top defenders fit soon and keep picking up points this season.