Alfredo Morelos is a hero to everyone in the Rangers support, we absolutely love his wild charging style and his cheeky grin when he finds the net. That snarl, that look, that rampaging all conquering aggression.
Sadly, that rampaging style has long gone.
When Connor Goldson spoke so critically on Sunday, questioning the attitude and hunger of the players, the first thing you did was scroll down that team line up and when you hit Alfredo Morelos you stopped instantly. Because everything that Goldson was saying, ill advised or not, describes Alfredo Morelos currently.
Alfredo is a fantastic player and when he’s firing he can consume defences like no one else can, as Feyenoord, Porto, Antwerp etc have all found out. That snarling, aggressive, all consuming hero that we absolutely love is a handful for anyone.
But those days are long gone and he has been tamed beyond all recognition. Sunday’s performance was as bad a striking performance as I have seen from Alfredo in a Rangers Jersey.
He didn’t press the ball, he didn’t move into space and he didn’t offer any challenge to a defence who pushed him off far too easily. In years gone by Alfredo would have relished the chance to batter and torment those centre backs, a duel with Porteous? He would have been snarling and all over it.
Now? Now he’s not interested and it’s clear to everyone. He isn’t interested in making runs, he isn’t interested in battling the defence and he isn’t interested in helping his teammates. In short he is going through the motions.
Alfredo isn’t the only problem in this squad but he is a massive one. The reason we are so passive is because he is offering absolutely nothing to hit when we do get forward. The difference to when Sakala plays as a nine or even with him, is night and day. I don’t think the two are comparable on talent but Sakala runs his heart out which shows, Alfredo hasn’t done that in a very long time.
In this system the number nine must be a focal point for everyone and on Sunday he wasn’t interested. That moaning, face tripping, battling forward we all worship didn’t even give us that, to be quite honest he wasn’t interested in even that. He will not get away with that under Giovanni and the last thing he will accept is someone being lazy.
Here’s where it becomes hugely difficult but it’s extremely clear. Alfredo Morelos Rangers career is over if he continues to perform that way because Giovanni Van Bronckhorst will see right through it. Roy MaKaay will see right through it.
Players can have bad games, players can have bad spells but when players stop applying themselves then it’s often the end of the line.
Let’s be clear of one thing, I absolutely love Alfredo and he’s by far my favourite. He isn’t the only issue, he isn’t costing goals for example and there is some who will say this is a blame culture for him.
It isn’t, I’m merely saying how I see it.
Alfredo has long lost his desire for Rangers and unless he sorts out his attitude and desire his Rangers career will be over under a management who won’t allow his fitness or attitude to slide.
This can still be Alfredo’s team, he can recover everything but before he does he must sort out his attitude because this is Rangers and it’s not acceptable.
He can shush his critics and score Thursday but we are all kidding everyone on if it’s an instant reversal back to the attitude he’s currently showing.
It’s crunch time for Alfredo, get on board with Gio and get that sharpness back, or your Rangers career will be over along with quite a few others.
Four Lads Had A Dream 