BLANKS FOR THE MEMORIES
Rangers fail to find a way past stoic Saints as Morelos absence proves damaging
APOLOGISTS for the ruinous temper of Alfredo Morelos might just start getting angry with themselves at this rate.
That’s two games without a goal from Rangers since the irascible Colombian copped his fourth red card and latest suspension of a tumultuous campaign.
The argument that Rangers can mount a serious title challenge down the stretch, or limp on further in the Scottish Cup while their main striker displays no signs of curbing his indisciplined instincts, is wearing thinner by the game.
On 68 minutes, Kyle Lafferty was introduced as Steven Gerrard turned to the third and last available centre-forward on his books in search of an elusive winner against a stoic St Johnstone team.
A striker without a league goal in five months — stretching back to Saints’ last visit here — Lafferty lashed three half-chances wide.
It really shouldn’t come to this for Rangers but Morelos, scorer of 23 goals, being unable to tame his on-field fury and missing too many games while banned has come at a cost.
Gerrard pointed out that he felt sorry for his replacement, Jermain Defoe, because of the poor standard of service.
Then he identified that the overall team performance, concerningly, lacked urgency and was riven with sloppy distribution of the football.
There were many problems for him to address last night as he nursed the potentially fatal blow dealt to any hopes of reeling in leaders Celtic.
However, on days such as these a top scorer with the knack of burgling a late goal and someone to set the tempo high up the pitch such as Morelos can come in so handy.
If Gerrard thought it was hard work grafting to victory at Perth before Christmas, then that was a walk in the McDiarmid Park compared to this slog.
He admitted to being thankful that the damage wasn’t greater as Wes Foderingham, in for banned Allan McGregor on his fifth appearance of the season, pulled off a stunning second-half save from Joe Shaughnessy.
Rangers were without big performers in the middle of the park in the shape of Ryan Jack and Scott Arfield. They missed the latter, in particular, for his ability to drag team-mates through a tough afternoon.
Debutant Glen Kamara’s early impression was encouraging for a quiet piece of January business. But Steven Davis arrived with considerably more fanfare and much less recent football — and it showed.
Davis was suffering more than most to connect or, indeed, play the simpler passes and how the demanding home crowd let the veteran know it. That was when they weren’t berating Borna Barisic.
There was no surprise when 34-year-old Davis made way for Glenn Middleton before the hour.
St Johnstone have been masters at creating frustration here in recent years, no matter the manager in charge of the home side, and this lockdown was particularly impressive in light of their harrowing month at the hands of Celtic.
Sean Goss, on loan at Rangers this time last year and a scorer in a 4-1 win at Perth, sat in front of a fine back four with Liam Craig to throttle the middle route.
Saints had bumped into Celtic in three of their past four fixtures, losing all without
scoring and suffering a 5-0 hammering in the Scottish Cup a week ago. An experience as crushing as that was never on here.
Rangers ran out of ideas too quickly. Cammy Bell, in for Zander Clark who damaged a hamstring on Friday, was made to work only once in the opening 45 minutes in his first appearance since November 10 for Partick Thistle.
Even then, there was no requirement to shift far to cup Connor Goldson’s header in his arms from a Barisic corner.
Richard Foster blocked a yard off the line from Kamara as Saints survived a flurry of Rangers attempts thanks to the sheer number of penalty box bodies. Then James Tavernier grazed the crossbar.
Foderingham was the busier of the back-up goalkeepers and he stopped Chris Kane’s tireless shift up front for Saints being topped by a late first-half goal.
Desperation was evident in Rangers’ play immediately after the restart. After Bell spilled a Daniel Candeias drive but recovered to foil Davis and a Joe Worrall volley sailed narrowly over, Gerrard called for Middleton.
However, the teenager wasn’t afforded the space or service to scare Saints and their trademark organisation.
A wasteful Candeias, who blazed over when a poor clearance dropped to his feet 14 yards out, was next for the hook.
Lafferty’s record of one goal — at Cowdenbeath — in 19 appearances for club and country stretching back to September 23 couldn’t be improved upon when he was needed.
Indeed, it was the substitution made by Tommy Wright that came closer to breaking the stalemate and stunning Ibrox. Ghosting on to a ball over the top, Blair Alston lofted a subtle attempt over Foderingham that clipped the underside of the crossbar and took a bounce out.
The late claims for handball on David Wotherspoon weren’t heeded by referee Steven McLean, who denied Rangers a seventh penalty in four matches.