Tony Docherty has claimed that Aberdeen’s strikers are just as good as Rangers’ Alfredo Morelos.
The Aberdeen assistant manager has been a loyal servant to Derek McInnes since they joined the club back in 2013. He’s a respected figure in Scottish football, and has worked wonders at Pittodrie alongside McInnes.
Morelos, however, has already bagged 17 goals this season and it’s not even Christmas. Meanwhile, up in the Granite City, Aberdeen’s forwards Stevie May, Sam Cosgrove, and James Wilson have just five goals between them.
That wasn’t enough to stop Docherty from making an incredible claim ahead of tonight’s meeting between the sides at Ibrox. Speaking in the Daily Record, Docherty claimed that Aberdeen’s strikers are just as good as Rangers’ Colombian.
“Morelos is doing it for Rangers at the moment as he looks confident, is scoring goals and is enjoying doing that.
“We have strikers as good as that, that just need to get on that run. To have that belief that they are going to score one or two goals every game.
“We are not that far away from it and will keep working hard at it.”
Surely he meant something else
It’s difficult to see how Docherty’s words could’ve been construed any differently. The fact is, however, that his claim is simply laughable when you look at the four players in question.
Aberdeen’s three strikers this season have consistently come under scrutiny. Whilst their lack of goals has been a problem, however, they’ve also been dreadful in their all-round play. May in particular has been a disaster since signing for the Dons, whilst huge question marks persist over Cosgrove and Wilson.
Meanwhile, Morelos has improved tenfold this season under Steven Gerrard. His goals are only a symptom of the character and physical attributes that he’s managed to add to his game.
Sure, any one of the Aberdeen front three could score tonight. It may even win Aberdeen the game if Rangers don’t turn up. That won’t change the fact that Morelos is still a much more well-rounded striker than anything Aberdeen have to offer.
This may just be a morale-boosting tactic by Docherty. Something to gee up his forwards ahead of tonight’s match. The truth is, however, that nobody can take it seriously.