Ibrox View: Gerrard must swing axe on Rangers mainstay to liberate secret weapon
RANGERS OPINION
It’s hard to be positive about Rangers at the moment, although it’s not for a lack of trying.
Hopes were so high at the beginning of the year after that stunning win at Parkhead in December, but slowly, one bad result at a time, any optimism about this campaign has been quelled.
Even the one shining beacon that remains at Ibrox – that spot in the Europa Leaguer last 16 – has been dimmed somewhat by the fear that this dreadful run of form could bleed its way into European competition when the Gers face Bayer Leverkusen next week.
Without being overly dramatic, the wheels feel as if they are coming off at Ibrox, and that means that now is as good a time as any for Steven Gerrard to be looking at making changes to his side.
The old saying goes that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, but that surely means that the inverse is true to, and the boss must act quickly to stop the rot.
Perhaps the most obvious position where a change is needed is upfront.
We all know how lethal Alfredo Morelos can be, but he has hit just one goal since the winter break, and the Gers wasted 31 efforts in their bid to break down Hamilton in the 1-0 defeat at Ibrox in midweek.
How convenient, then, that Jermain Defoe has recently made his return from injury.
The veteran hitman may not be a nailed on starter for the Gers, but he never seems to disappoint when they are in need of somebody to step into the breach.
So far this term he has averaged an expected goals rating of 0.73, as per Wyscout, as well as a goals per 90 minute ratio of 1.06.
Those numbers are jaw dropping, and illustrate the virtues of a wily old campaigner whose killer instinct is as sharp as ever.
Moreover, those stats more than measure up against Morelos, who has an xG of 0.74, but an inferior goals per 90 minute ratio of 0.77, as per Wyscout.
As such, the problem and solution are both very simple.
Morelos is not scoring goals, Defoe barely ever fails to score goals – why not take the former out and replace him with the latter, even just for a game or two?
At this stage, Stevie has nothing to lose.
In other Rangers news, ‘If you don’t like it… leave’ – Derek Ferguson makes Ibrox summer exit claim.