Defoe - we are totally underusing him

I appreciate trying to think "outside the box" here but let's not try to fix something that isn't broken.

Defoe knows his place in the squad - Starting at home against the poorer league sides and coming on when we're coasting. Defoe seems happy with that and as others have said, we are a massive club for him to still be playing at his stage of career, so I doubt he'll get frustrated.

We've had a little run of games against tougher sides recently, we haven't been as fluid or as clinical upfront, but there's certainly no need to tear up the plan and start again. I'm happy with just keeping Defoe for the "lesser sides".
 
I think it’s been more than 6 weeks since he’s scored. He’s not getting much game time and at his age, he surely must have to be playing regularly to stay sharp?

We are becoming as reliant on Alfie as we were last season despite the great start Alfie and Defoe had in sharing game time and goals.

I’m seriously concerned that we don’t have a genuine option that can change the game up top if Alfie has a poor game or we need to mix things up a bit.

It was clear, based on the start of the season, that Defoe still has it. But will he hang around if he’s not getting regular game time?

Or is it a case that he doesn’t have it in him to play regularly and he’s getting as much time as he needs or can deal with?

Either way, we need another option up top in the new year.

He was missing the other week through injury, came on against Celtic. Not needed in midweek but yeah underused.
 
If Defoe had all those chances this week, he probably scores 3 or 4 goals

But would he have been able to make so many of them for themself in those games?

I doubt it
 
If Defoe had all those chances this week, he probably scores 3 or 4 goals

But would he have been able to make so many of them for themself in those games?

I doubt it
Absolutely not. It’s not an easy question to answer. But....
 
Devils advocate for a second. If we need a second striker to play only against dross, we could get a far ‘cheaper’ option to do so. Maybe even a rudden.

I want Defoe to stay. It’s great to have him hear. But I’m really uncomfortable with the dynamic in that area. I don’t know the answer though.

Yes we could have a cheaper option but they wouldn't be as effective. If I saw a Rudden type in the lineup even at home against weaker opposition I wouldn't be confident of him contributing much, it's great that we have someone of this calibre to fall back on
 
Yes we could have a cheaper option but they wouldn't be as effective. If I saw a Rudden type in the lineup even at home against weaker opposition I wouldn't be confident of him contributing much, it's great that we have someone of this calibre to fall back on
I agree. But we must find a way to make better use of his ability. St mirren at home or coming in after 60 mins when two up is a waste of time imo
 
Defoe can't play up front himself with his physique and age that should be obvious. He will get plenty of game time but in the bigger games (which we have had 3 in a row) he won't see much game time.

The bigger question is what happens if Buff gets injured and has to sit out our bigger games - it's an area we obviously need to strengthen in the coming weeks and months.
 
Bit of a luxury really having both Alfie and Defoe, its brilliant. Its how they fit within the team is a bit puzzling at times. Then Ive thought it would be great to have a strike parter for Alfie in the mould of McCoist/Hately, but how long will he be with us? Does that kind of partnership even fit into Gerrards system, hmmm
 
Its him or morelos. Morelos is the better player hence Morelos plays.

Think that is the simple reason, a run of big big games where our best striker, Alfie, has to play.

He rarely lets us down and he does something Defoe does not do, which is create goalscoring chances by himself. Yes, Alfie missed a hatful of chances against Celtic, as well as a couple last night but the majority of these chances were created by him beating a man, or rolling a defender, etc.

Defoe is very different, he is a finisher, plays inside the box providing the finish to a move.

The one down side is that the two cannot play together, Alfie has to be sole striker, so ineffectual, his style of play totally comprimised in "a two".
 
Somehow I dont think Gerrard will agree with you and will want him signed up. Defoe doesnt suit a 433 phone striker role, but he is suited to a 4231 with a 10 in behind him (Arfield played in behind him in the last 5 games of last season - see old firm dummy goal for evidence of that set up)
In a phone box Defoe would be world class as his close control and making space for himself is engaging to watch
 
I think it’s been more than 6 weeks since he’s scored. He’s not getting much game time and at his age, he surely must have to be playing regularly to stay sharp?

We are becoming as reliant on Alfie as we were last season despite the great start Alfie and Defoe had in sharing game time and goals.

I’m seriously concerned that we don’t have a genuine option that can change the game up top if Alfie has a poor game or we need to mix things up a bit.

It was clear, based on the start of the season, that Defoe still has it. But will he hang around if he’s not getting regular game time?

Or is it a case that he doesn’t have it in him to play regularly and he’s getting as much time as he needs or can deal with?

Either way, we need another option up top in the new year.
We have (arguably) the two best strikers in the league.
I’d definitely be trying to find a way to play both.
Kent and Morelos interchanging with Defoe as the spearhead in a 3 man attack or Morelos and Defoe up top with a floater/ number 10 in behind. Stewart maybe.
 
For Defoe to be effective, especially away from home, the front three have to be on song and all the little intricate moves have to come off.
When they don't, he's like a man down because he can't really hold the ball up and bully defenders like Morelos does.
 
2 different types of striker . Defoe suits the poacher role which is good against the shite of the league but any half decent team we play we need Morelos to help make things happen . Even when he’s not scoring he has 1 or 2 marking him which he can draw out of position which lets the likes of. Airfield and Kent move more centrally
 
Defoe, at his age, knows that Morelos is the better option.

Less game time doesn't necessarily mean he's unhappy or resentful. It is what it is.

Defoe is a realist and a true professional and from what I can see is loving his role with us.
 
We can’t start Morelos against Motherwell, Hibs and Kilmarnock and then expect his best at the san giro. It’s ridiculous. Not the way we play. He’d be burnt out. So would a few others.

Trust the squad we’ve assembled.
 
We can’t start Morelos against Motherwell, Hibs and Kilmarnock and then expect his best at the san giro. It’s ridiculous. Not the way we play. He’d be burnt out. So would a few others.

Trust the squad we’ve assembled.
He'll start the away games. They wil all get a rest over the winter break.
 
I reckon he’ll start on Sunday.

Then we will struggle.

I love the wee man and believe he has been a very important part of, if not the most important reason why we have seen a huge improvement in Alfie's all round play.

But the points spunked at Tynecastle and Pittodrie means there is no room for making changes in rotation that the squad overall probably requires.

The one substitution that I also thinks needed first and foremost if is we are struggling it is Stewart who gets the nod in front of Ojo. But that's getting us slightly off topic.
 
When Alfie was suspended at the end of last season the formation we played worked a treat.

Alfie is the main man but sometimes it may be worth changing it up to rest folk and keep opponents guessing.

Bud, at the end of last season there was no pressure on the players, Arfield being the prime example, to perform at a higher level.

The rest of this month, and a big part of it is our own fault, requires our best starting X1., because we have put ourselves under enormous pressure with fannying and dithering about.
 
Define started against Celtic and look how that turned out, also he played from the start against St Mitten at Love Street.

He is a good player but not maybe suited to our system. I would have preferred to have seen us get a different type of player who is big and physical as most of our opportunities come from the wings.
 
I actually think Defoe is a better striker than Alfie but Alfie’s all round game is way superior.

Defoe needs the rest of the team to do the spade work and get the ball to feet in and around the box. Do that and he scores for fun.

In the tramps game at Ibrox we weren’t able to deliver for him and he was unable to contribute much as a result. If Alfie had played in that game we’d have fared better. He would have given us an out ball and his hold up play could have let us get up the park more. He’s also capable of making a goal for himself.

Compare that with the cup final when we were all over them. I accept that Alfie’s having trouble buying a goal against them but he doesn’t necessarily have to score to be effective. Alfie’s luck will change eventually and I can’t wait.

He’s also pretty robust and you don’t see him injured. I think he thrives on being out there all the time and it would be a very risky tactic to be swapping him in and out to give JD a game. If we want to give him a break then sub him on occasions when we are well on top and have goals to spare. Let Defoe put a goal or two of gloss on the result.
 
You can't start both, it doesn't suit our set up and rarely have we looked comfortable with both on the park, even when cruising.

We need Morelos movement, work rate, ability to create some thing out of nothing, physicality, all round play and ability for the tough away games. He bullies defences. When Defoe starts our style of play changes and it doesn't stick up top.

Morelos vs. Motherwell, Hibs and the bheggars. Defoe at home to Kilmarnock.

Create the chances, finish them off, kill the game and give Morelos a rest. If we were more clinical, more ruthless then we could have done this and we've had opportunities in numerous games to do this.
 
Not only is the goals Defoe has already got valuable but his presence and coaching of the youngsters ect is priceless.

I think he's doing well, scoring goals and is happy, what more an we ask for.

I would also credit a lot of Morelos attitude change to Defoe it’s clear that they have a great bond between them and having Defoe to mentor him IMO cant be put into monetary value, plus he also scores goals it’s just been a limited time for him just now but I have no doubt the goal will return
 
I’d love to know, over the last 3 games, where Defoe fits over Morelos?

Defoe is good at home against the shite teams.

We’ve had a tough run of away games, where Alfie is the man to lead the line.
 
Don't think the problem lies with Morelos or Defoe both of whom rarely let us down. The one up top is serving us well so I wouldn't change the either/or policy. It's more the fact the other mob have several more scoring options within their first 11 who regularly contribute with goals.

Obviously goals win games and for my mind this is how they manage to put lesser teams to bed with relative ease. Strikers aside we are woefully short in that department and until we find goals from the midfield we are solely reliant on them to provide the fire power. Without going through the other mobs regular goalscorers, individually they are far better placed to put teams away without relying on their Striker. This is what needs resolved. I keep saying it over and over , we need Arfield, Aribo etc to be far more clinical than they are or find a suitable replacement/s in January if we are to have any chance of going all the way this year.
 
His age is catching up with him. This will be his last contract as a player, he'll become less of an option from now on too, he's a great player for these guys to learn from, and he'll still contribute.

But he isn't going to be a regular starting option much longer
 
Alfie is on a good run of form just now .so it will always be hard for Defoe to take his place in the starting line up.
 
Certain games suit him imo, but in big games he just can't play the lone role aswell as Morelos can so it doesn't make sense playing him just for the sake of it. He played other week and was a man down pretty much.
 
We have been under using Defoe, but Alfredo has 26 goals. That is undroppable form. Think we would love to get the two on the park together, but that would mean a change of system.
 
Reality is he’s our back up striker. Alfredo is too good not to play and he’s been very resilient in terms of injuries (touch wood). If we could get games to a comfortable position and get Defoe on in the second half that would be the ideal.
 
Would be great if Stevie G could find a system to play with them both up front but it doesn't look a goer, he has tried it an odd time and it doesn't seem to work. Alfie thrives on leading the line on his own and rag dolling anything round about him, he doesn't need any help just service.
 
I think it’s been more than 6 weeks since he’s scored. He’s not getting much game time and at his age, he surely must have to be playing regularly to stay sharp?

We are becoming as reliant on Alfie as we were last season despite the great start Alfie and Defoe had in sharing game time and goals.

I’m seriously concerned that we don’t have a genuine option that can change the game up top if Alfie has a poor game or we need to mix things up a bit.

It was clear, based on the start of the season, that Defoe still has it. But will he hang around if he’s not getting regular game time?

Or is it a case that he doesn’t have it in him to play regularly and he’s getting as much time as he needs or can deal with?

Either way, we need another option up top in the new year.
I think Defoe Kent Morelos could be deadly for us.
The next few weeks anyway, just to mix it up.

Let kent drift right with a striker dropping left or left with the other dropping right.
Or through the middle at spells leaving a 4-3-1-2.
Really drag these teams about until Christmas.
More room to sub off Morelos or Defoe depending on how the games go.
And we might just stumble upon something that works with both of them in the team!
 
Would be great if Stevie G could find a system to play with them both up front but it doesn't look a goer, he has tried it an odd time and it doesn't seem to work. Alfie thrives on leading the line on his own and rag dolling anything round about him, he doesn't need any help just service.
This confuses me.
Alfie drops right a hell of a lot and there is no one in the middle to finish his pinpoint crosses.
If Kent was coming in from the left and Defoe in the middle at these moments we'd score more goals one would think.
Same if Kent pulled right and Alfie was in the middle, Defoe dropping left would clean up and retain possession.
 
Defoe is loving life at Rangers. He was on Talksport this week saying it's the biggest club he's played for and how much he's loving his time up here. He is about to sign a new contract which tells you everything you need to know.

It's very difficult to play two central strikers in today's game. It leaves you outnumbered in midfield. The current strategy of playing Morelos most matches and then playing Defoe against the lesser teams at home has worked very well and i'm sure we'll continue doing this.
 
Think there was an opportunity to bring him on on Thursday we were under the cosh and an extra player up front could of helped.

I think sometimes Gerrard had a dedancy to under use subs
 
Change our formation once in a while,and play the two of them together.
Morelos coming in from he right,always look dangerous.
 
I see it as the more goals Morelos can rack up the more he is going to be worth. He’s the better player also
 
He's on 90k a week.

There's no way Bournemouth are paying him 75k a week and he's not playing for them.

You actually believe we are paying 30-40k for a back up striker? Jesus Christ.

He earns 65k per week with Bournemouth and we pay 15k towards that. These types of loan deals are normal when you have players totally frozen out at their club.
 
Back
Top