Following Rangers’ 1-0 Europa League victory over Feyenoord on Thursday evening, Steven Gerrard reserved special praise for Alfredo Morelos, as captured by RangersTV.
The 23-year-old played the full 90 minutes up top and hassled and harried the opposition’s centre backs.
For all his endeavours, he didn’t get his goal. Yet, that didn’t stop his manager from gushing over the forward.
Rangers striker Morelos hailed by Steven Gerrard
“Wow, first 45, up there with the best he’s played for me”, said the Gers boss after the game, as captured by RangersTV. “I thought he was unplayable. I thought he caused them endless problems – his hold up play was fantastic.”
“The only thing his performance probably didn’t have tonight was a goal. But, his work rate and out of possession, positionally, he was very good.”
Verdict
Right from the first whistle, you could see Morelos was up for it and that he smelled blood going up against stand-in centre-back Edgar Ie.
He attached himself to the Trabzonspor loanee and spun him multiple times during the first 45 minutes, getting in behind with ease. As his manager pointed out, his hold up play was as good as it’s been in a Rangers shirt, too, and although that dropped off a little as he tired in the second period, his aerial dominance brought players like Ojo and Arfield into the game.
In times gone by, the fact that he picked up a booking after just half an hour would have been a major concern.
Yet, last night, he kept intensity in his performance while steering clear of trouble for the final 60 minutes.
He was a little wasteful in front of goal at times, but that didn’t cost the Gers last night. An outstanding display from the talisman, who proved once again why he’s regarded as the club’s most valuable asset.
