Steven Gerrard’s striking options look bountiful going into the new season- with proven goal scorers Alfredo Morelos and Jermain Defoe vying to be his first-choice forward.
Gerrard’s decision on which of the two he’ll start more regularly hasn’t be made any easier with Defoe’s form in pre-season with the sprightly 36-year-old scoring against Welsh Premier League champions The New Saints in Rangers’ 1-0 friendly win yesterday. Defoe will be hoping to take advantage of Morelos’ injury and stake a claim for the lone-striker role in Gerrard’s preferred 4-3-3 formation going into the Europa League qualifiers with St. Joseph’s of Gibraltar next week.
???? @IAmJermainDefoe with the goal in today’s match against The New Saints.
???? Watch Full Highlights: https://t.co/oEs1rJFeGW
???? Subscribe To RTV: https://t.co/t1IRcqTluP pic.twitter.com/CwoD8dFCtb— Rangers Football Club (@RangersFC) July 3, 2019
One compromise that Gerrard could go with would be to play both Morelos and Defoe. This would almost certainly require a change of shape going into the new season and it’s something that the former Liverpool captain has experimented briefly with in the past- to varying degrees of success against Kilmarnock and St. Mirren. The prospect of the duo playing up front together will surely give Premiership defenders nightmares if they can form even something resembling a decent partnership next season.
These Rangers fans are definitely excited about Defoe’s first full season at Rangers and some hope he can form a formidable strikeforce alongside the 23-year-old Colombian at Ibrox.
Great play from the lads, probably be knackered from all the pre season training and heat. Buzzin for this new season.
— Andrew Hunter (@psyko_sonic) July 4, 2019
Loving the intensity. The shouting at defenders and forwards. Great finish by Defoe????
— @daviehewitt (@daviehewitt) July 3, 2019
Cheeky 2 upfront for next season ????????
— callumbryce (@callumbryce8) July 3, 2019
Nice one lads ❤????
— ????bearette???? (@dianelambie71) July 3, 2019
Man, Tav is just a constant driving force
— Alfredco_Morelos (@Pena_Cartel) July 3, 2019
Tav is so effective when he’s drives through the middle. https://t.co/4HB40eWorO
— Rangers Culture (@RangersCulture) July 3, 2019
Hard to tell from the highlights but just missed a chance in second half. Defoe looking ????
— Rangers Culture (@RangersCulture) July 3, 2019