WELCOME TO EL
Former Man City skipper Morrison knows Gers’ Euro rivals well and he’s tipped Ibrox hero Bufalo to give Alashkert nightmares
ANDY MORRISON reckons Rangers star Alfredo Morelos could be Alashkert’s worst Europa League nightmare.
Steven Gerrard’s side take on the Armenians tomorrow at Ibrox in the first leg of their playoff as they eye up reaching the group stage for the fourth year running.
But slip up again like they did against Malmo and Gers will slide down into UEFA’s new Conference League competition.
However Connah’s Quay Nomads boss Morrison – whose side lost out narrowly to Alashkert in the opening round of this year’s Champions League qualifiers – believes it will be this week’s visitors losing sleep over the prospect of facing the Scottish title winners and their Colombian talisman.
Former Manchester City captain Morrision – a boyhood Rangers fan who spent his early years in Inverness – doesn’t think Gerrard’s team will have any issues seeing off Alashkert.
His side were able to target the soft centre at the heart of their defence and he believes with Morelos back on form, the Light Blues can use this week’s tie as a launchpad for another run to the latter stages.
Morelos sat out the first game against Malmo as he quarantined on his return from Copa America duty but briefly gave Gerrard’s team hope of overcoming the Swedes with his strike in the Ibrox return.
A second-half collapse ended Gers’ bid to regain their place among the cream of European football but Morrison has tipped Gers to pick up the pieces against Alashkert.
Morrison – whose side were edged out 3-2 after extra time in Yerevan last month – said: “We thought they were very weak defensively and I would expect Morelos with his physical power and presence to cause the Alashkert defence all sorts of problems.
“They lack a physical presence – both central defenders are around 5ft 10ins. The likes of
Didier Kadio and Tiago Cameta aren’t the biggest and that is definitely an area where I can see Rangers exploiting and getting a lot of joy from. “Morelos is big and strong and he likes to physically compete with defenders and I think that is an area where Rangers can get a lot of joy. “I definitely think Morelos can be too strong and powerful for them and if he is on form then I can’t see their defence being able to stop him.” Morrison’s
Welsh side took Alashkert all the way but he knows the Scottish champions will be at another level.
And he said: “We went toe-totoe with them.
“But you have to say if Rangers are at their best and playing the free-flowing football that they showed last season then there will be no problems for them.
“They have a few players there who are half-decent but collectively they shouldn’t cause Rangers any problems.
“I can’t see an upset in any way as long as Rangers are right in everything they do.”
Morrison knows Alashkert’s strengths are very much at the top end of the park – and that proved the difference against his Welsh champions, following a late signing spurge from the Armenians.
He said: “We did a lot of work before we played them and then the week leading into the game they brought in a few really good players who we had never seen playing.
“We didn’t have any ability to do any research on them. There
They’ve a few half-decent players but collectively shouldn’t cause
was James the Brazilian, Jose Embalo, a Portuguese striker, and Vladislav Kryuchkov and they proved to be the three outstanding players for them.
“James is a right winger who is really quick and a handful.
“Embalo is a big striker but he was a wee bit soft and Kryuchkov is big and strong and scored two at our place and was very good.
“They have an array of internationalists in their team and there is no doubt they have qualities going forward.”
Morrison reckons his Nomads could have extended their
Champions League adventure had injury and Covid not left them down to the bare bones in Armenia.
The former Maine Road defender said: “I am not daft enough to say we were going head-to-head with them in Armenia because we weren’t.
“We had one shot on the day but there were mitigating circumstances.
“We had one outfield sub that day because we had six players missing, three with Covid and three were injured.
“We went across with 13 players, one outfield sub and a sub goalkeeper.
“So our ability to change things later on in the game, going into extra time, we just didn’t have the options.
“We thought at one stage we would have to put our second goalkeeper on up front.
“We stayed in it until the 115th minute and then we lost the game.
“I do believe if we had a full squad we could have at least got to penalties but it wasn’t the case and it wasn’t to be.”
Morrison thinks Rangers can finish the tie at Ibrox before they head to Armenia next week.
And he doesn’t see too many issues or obstacles out there for Rangers either.
Morrison added: “The national stadium is a fantastic venue and Rangers will be well looked after across there.
“We didn’t witness any skulduggery like we have done in the past.
“When we played there it was still Covid regulations and it wasn’t a big crowd.
“But whatever Rangers face I am sure Steven Gerrard will have his players up and ready for anything.”