Past, Present, Future- Nottingham Forest's Defensive Duo Diverges From Normality 

With one signing for Forest whilst the other was still in nappies, defensive duo of Michael Dawson and Joe Worrall are part of one of the Championships best back four. The two Forest academy products are at complete opposite stages of their career, yet come match day line-up next to each other on the pitch. A look at one of the most interesting partnerships the Championship has to offer... 

At the time of writing, Nottingham Forest sit sixth in the league, unbeaten since the opening game of the season, and boast the third best defence in the division. What exactly is making Sabri Lamouchi's side tick, and how do they look so solid? Whilst midfield performances from the likes of Ben Watson and Tiago Silva have contributed immensely to Forest's early play-off challenge, attention must be paid to the centre back partnership of Joe Worrall and Michael Dawson.

With around thirteen years separating the players ages, you'd be forgiven for thinking Worrall and Dawson have very little in common, you couldn't be more wrong.

Back in 1997 Michael Dawson was a long way away from the man who would make over two hundred Premier League appearances and feature five times for his country. Incidentally, Worrall was still in nappies. Age 14 and applying his trade for local side Northallerton Juniors, Dawson was keen to follow in the footsteps of elder brothers Andy and Kevin, who had both been snapped up by the Forest academy.

In 1997 Dawson was joining a Forest side who were facing a turbulent few years. Relegated in '97, promoted in '98 and subsequently relegated in '99, Forest have yet to grace the topflight since the turn of the millennium. Dawson broke into the side in 2002, a time when Forest were in the midst of an identity crisis, struggling to breakout from midtable obscurity in the Championship. Despite his sides underwhelming performances Dawson impressed, earning himself a move to Premier League Tottenham in a multi-million-pound transfer. Now 35, Dawson returned to Forest in 2018, roughly twenty years since he first joined the club.

Ever-present alongside Dawson at the back this season is Joe Worrall. A man who also joined the Forest academy aged 14. However, whilst Dawson was joining a Forest team attempting to fight relegation from the Premier League, Worrall was joining a Forest side who's potential to regain Premier League status had never been greater. In 2011 Forest had recently rediscovered Championship football following a brief spell in the English third tier. The '09-'10 season saw them narrowly miss out on automatic promotion, which was followed by the '10-'11 season finishing 6th. Needless to say, the side failed in both play-offs attempts and have struggled to make the top six since.

Worrall's first inclusion in a Forest side came in 2016, then 20 years old and having experienced first team football after a loan spell at Dagenham and Redbridge, the youngster burst onto the scene impressing supporters and immediately drawing comparisons to his now centre back partner Dawson. His Forest career was halted as a shock loan spell to Steven Gerrard's Rangers occurred, fans were quick to voice their disappointment at the decision to offload their promising centre half, but after a successful campaign in Scotland, Worrall is back, and his footballing ability has clearly grown.

Dawson and Worrall sit at opposite ends of their career, but the similarities are uncanny. Both joined the club in their early teens, both received England youth call-ups whilst representing Forest, and they are now both part of one of the best defences in the leagues. Worrall will be hoping to emulate his partners career, and his potential to line-up for a Premier League side is clear to see. However, whilst one's career is nearing an end as the others begins to pick up, Dawson and Worrall share a common goal for the season, get Forest back to the Premier League. Under Lamouchi Forest are an unknown specimen. They've gone under the radar for preseason predictions and are quietly but surely mounting a promising promotion challenge. With the unpredictable nature of the Championship it's impossible to say where Forest will end up, but as things stand, their back two partnership of youth and experience demonstrates the perfect blend of footballing zeal needed to be successful in one of the worlds toughest leagues.