It’s more flop than Klopp on Gerrard’s bow
steven Gerrard said he would not have to give a team talk because the shame of rangers’ exit at this stage 12 months ago had done it for him.
he will certainly have to find some words in the coming days if the start of his managerial career is to avoid similar ignominy after an unconvincing victory against Macedonia’s fourth best team.
former boss Pedro Caixinha did not recover from the europa League exit to Luxembourg parttimers Progres Niederkorn last summer and, for Gerrard, failure to progress beyond Tuesday’s second leg in Skopje, where temperatures will top 30°C, would turn up the heat on the rookie manager.
‘The players need to realise this is not over,’ said Gerrard. ‘Shkupi will fancy their chances because we have put ourselves in a position where work needs to be done.’
At least Gerrard looked the part for his competitive bow — dark suit, blue shirt, club tie — but the same could not be said of his bedraggled team.
The 38-year- old used his programme notes to outline his playing philosophy: ‘We are going to press hard and high and try to win the ball back in interesting areas. We should be an exciting team to watch.’ Sound familiar? You cannot fault his ambition if it is to recreate a brand of football like that of Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool.
But it was more flop than Klopp during a nervy opening in which Blagoja Ljamchevski’s curling shot clipped the crossbar for the visitors on 14 minutes. That scare drew an almighty roar of encouragement from a sell- out home crowd — it will take a little while yet for the goodwill towards Gerrard to dissipate here — and those in blue duly responded.
The breakthrough arrived on 23 minutes when Jamie Murphy finished off a lightning breakaway with a close-range finish.
Gerrard did not celebrate, instead using the break in play to summon Daniel Candeias and issue instructions — the Portuguese would do well to listen given that he occupies his manager’s old central midfield berth.
It was the forwards, however, who needed his guidance, for their finishing was about as accurate as the dart-throwing of the english press corps in repino. Josh Windass, Alfredo Morelos and Connor Goldson all headed over or against the woodwork from inside the six-yard area.
They did not fare any better with their feet until skipper James Tavernier scored a 90th-minute penalty, but the tie is still far from over.
‘You could feel the relief in the stadium,’ added the boss. ‘But the game should have been done by then.’
Already, you feel, it is time for Gerrard to muster some words of motivation.