Steven Gerrard has heaped praise on Sheyi Ojo, as quoted by the Daily Mail.
When the 22-year-old signed on loan from Liverpool last month, the majority of Rangers fans hadn’t seen much of him in action.
Therefore, for many, Sunday’s pre-season friendly against Oxford United and Tuesday night’s tie against St Joseph’s, represented the first opportunities to assess what he brings to the table.
He scored in both matches, with two very similar finishes. Shifting the ball onto his left side, he adeptly found the far corner on each occasion.
At Ibrox on Sunday, a piece of skill really caught the attention of Bears. In Gibraltar, across 90 minutes, he brought energy and directness to proceedings, getting plenty of fans very excited.
The manager was clearly impressed too, and he lauded his new acquisition in a post-match interview.
“Sheyi was outstanding throughout, an incredible performance,’ said Gerrard, as quoted by the Daily Mail. ‘He gives us real pace and power down that right-hand side, so I’m pleased for him to score a debut goal on the back of such a strong performance.”
“Sheyi has got all the attributes and if this doesn’t work, it will be because of Sheyi. He’s got everything in the locker, he is quick, strong, powerful. You know he is going to take on tactical information, you see him chasing back and making fouls and getting yellow cards.
“He knows that he needs to make this work. He is delighted to be here, he has settled in well. Now he has to build on that. Towards the end, I could see him coming down slightly. I want him to be ruthless from start to finish.”
Verdict
Over the past few days, Ojo has made a very impressive start to life as a Rangers player.
We know Gerrard doesn’t hand out praise lightly, and he’s clearly encouraged by what he’s seen so far. However, this is now the winger’s fifth loan spell and glimpses of top quality are all he’s really mustered so far.
With the Gers fighting on multiple fronts, it will be a long season. Therefore, Ojo needs to be prepared to stand up week in, week out rather than just every now and then.
It hasn’t quite worked out elsewhere for the youngster. Yet, we can only go on what he produces in Rangers colours and so far, he looks an Ibrox star in the making.
