DAVIS TIPS RED-HOT MORELOS TO MAKE A SERIOUS IMPACT IN WARSAW
Davis backs red-hot striker to keep Euro streak going in 100th match for Rangers
PROVIDING he is not an unexpected omission from Steven Gerrard’s teamsheet, Alfredo Morelos will become a Rangers centurion inside the Polish Army Stadium tonight.
It may seem a fitting arena for a player whose combative streak is often to the fore. More significantly, however, a 100th appearance is set to arrive with Morelos playing perhaps the best football of his prolific — and sometimes controversial — career at Ibrox.
Reaching that landmark would immediately bring another target, another little touch of history, into the sights of the 23-year-old Colombian.
Morelos has scored 57 goals in his 99 outings for the Ibrox side to date. Eleven of those have come in the Europa League, lifting him to joint-third in the club’s all-time list of European scorers.
A goal against Legia Warsaw this evening would not only be vital in terms of Rangers’ group-stage ambitions. It would also raise Morelos alongside Ralph Brand and Jorg Albertz into second place on that list of continental marksmen. Only Ally McCoist, regally out in front on 21 goals, would sit ahead of the £1million buy from HJK Helsinki.
Such admirable output does not, of course, tell the entire Morelos story. Twelve months ago, he was sent off against Russian outfit Ufa as a nine-man Ibrox line-up held on to win the Europa League play-off. It was one of five red cards — one of which was rescinded — to mark a season that also delivered 30 goals.
While it is early days in the new campaign, Morelos has so far picked up just a single yellow card from nine outings. Such a statistic supports Gerrard’s belief that the player is finally learning from past errors.
What is beyond dispute is the overall quality of his recent performances. Morelos was a minor force of nature against FC Midtjylland in the last round, scoring three and assisting three as Rangers ran up a convincing 7-3 aggregate triumph.
To veteran Steven Davis, those displays were the most rounded yet seen. And he is convinced there is still plenty more to come as the striker moves into three figures of appearances.
‘I think he is very good and he has got a lot of potential still to fulfil as well,’ considered Davis. ‘The goals-to-games ratio is outstanding and we all know that he is a massive player for us.
‘His performances against Midtjylland are two of his most complete in my time here, over the course of the whole games and everything he brought to it.
‘There was a maturity to him as well from what we have seen last season. He is always improving, he is getting better and I am sure he will continue in that trend.’
It perhaps helps that Morelos now has a viable threat to his supremacy at Ibrox. Jermain Defoe has also opened the season in a highly-impressive manner, scoring six goals to his team-mate’s nine.
Morelos is expected to get the nod against Legia. But whoever is selected, Davis feels Rangers have the means to score against opponents yet to concede in Europe this season.
‘We are very fortunate to have two strikers in great form pushing each other all the way,’ said the 34-year-old.
‘Of course, it is going to be a difficult game for their centre-halves and we know that if we can create the opportunities then, hopefully, nine times out of ten, the two boys will put them away.
‘They have been excellent at the start of the season and, hopefully, they can continue that form.’
Davis has been in more than decent form himself, prompting Rangers No 2 Gary McAllister to claim he might be playing the best football of his career.
‘It is always hard to judge between previous seasons and where you are now and I am playing a slightly different role,’ he responded.
‘It is a role that I am thoroughly enjoying, playing as the anchor. I am enjoying my football and that is the important thing at the minute. I feel that I am contributing to the team and long may that continue.’
Davis views Rangers’ overall displays so far as evidence of Gerrard’s positive work. He senses demands being raised to a level he recognises from his first spell at the club under Walter Smith’s leadership.
‘The manager has set those standards throughout his career, so he was going to be no different now that he is on the other side of it,’ said Davis.
‘I have known that from day one when I came in here in terms of the standards he sets and expects each and every day. He has shown that after every game and I think we are building something good here.
‘It is still early in the season but we are happy where we are at this moment. There are things we can get better at and improve on but we have had a decent start to the season.’
Qualification for the Europa League group stage would frank that assessment. Rangers are preparing to enter a cauldron of hostility in Warsaw this evening, with all bar around 1,000 of a 31,000 sell-out crowd willing their failure.
‘They are obviously passionate fans, like our own, so the atmosphere is going to be good and, as the manager said, it is an atmosphere you should relish playing in,’ said Davis.
‘If I get the opportunity to play, I would like to try and bring calmness to the team in possession. It is important because we expect them to want a fast start in the game and we want to settle things down from our own point and then start to play our own game.
‘Do I still get a buzz from atmospheres like this? Of course. It gives you that adrenaline and that energy. That comes from the importance of the game as well because we are at the stage now where one of the two teams goes through.
‘There is obviously a level of importance there and they are great games for us to be involved in. We all know we are desperate to be back in Europe once again as a group of players and how important it is for the club and the fans. We will be giving our all over the two legs to achieve that.’