How Alfredo Morelos rolled back Rangers years with 'Jorginho skip' capping complete performance - analysis

That trend continued into the Steven Gerrard era. However, increasingly teams learned that if they could stop the Colombian there was a good chance they could stop Rangers.

Since 2019, the 25-year-old has evolved into an all-round forward who is as comfortable poaching in the six-yard box as he is receiving possession by the halfway line.

As The Rangers Review detailed in our analysis of Morelos’ tactical evolution, his development has vastly improved how his team play against deep defences.

Everything is a trade-off, however. Since the start of 2020, he hasn’t quite matched previous goal tallies.

This isn’t necessarily an issue - goals are now coming from all over the pitch compared to the early Gerrard years.

But on Sunday, as he did against Ross County not long ago, Morelos was able to cap off a brilliant deep-lying performance with a goal.

The Alfredo Morelos role

Throughout the match with Hibs, Morelos played 46 passes and received the ball on 39 occasions.

As demonstrated by his pass map team-mates bounce the ball off him to move the opposition - and when the space is available he will tend to drop and switch play.

Below early in the game, he drops down a line freely - Ryan Porteous remains put instead of staying tight and leaving an exploitable gap in the backline.

This allows the forward to switch play where Nathan Patterson is unmarked. 

In the same half he makes an identical movement - dropping in unaccompanied to move possession over to the flank.

As his team gained the territorial advantage in the game these patterns occurred closer to the opponent's goal.

READ MORE: Alfredo Morelos' Rangers tactical evolution analysed

Here, Kemar Roofe signals for a cross as Morelos drops into the space for Patterson. Both players know their roles in the final third.

Because Morelos is so good with his back to goal the ball into his feet is always viable. If defenders stick tight and drop with him they risk leaving room for a third man run - a trend which led to Joe Aribo's goals against Ross County and Dundee.

If they choose to stay in position Morelos can move the play forward and vertically unopposed. 

The goal

With all of the above in mind let's focus on the moment that made the difference.

Aribo is patient and doesn't force the play from this position. He instead relays possession into the path of John Lundstram.

A simple rotation from Aribo pulls Paul McGinn infield - it means Barisic is now one-on-one against Chris Cadden with room to run into.

This is where Morelos comes in. As Barisic beats Cadden to cross the forward is in the eye-line of Paul Hanlon.

Notice as Barisic releases the ball in the frame below both of Morelos' feet are off the ground. This faint is similar to a penalty taker committing a goalkeeper's body-weight by tricking him into diving early - think of Chelsea's Jorginho.

READ MORE: The unorthodox Rangers shape that overwhelmed Hibs

In this frame with the ball airborne, it looks like Morelos is going to attack the front post.

Hanlon, therefore, has to compensate and makes a slight movement forward. Morelos quickly sidesteps into the space his faint has created behind the defender.

The Scotland cap is caught under the ball as Morelos scores in the space his movement created.

It looks even better in real-time.

Equally impressive was the build-up to the goal as seen below - a long and patient sequence of possession led to the winner.

Rangers are no longer solely reliant on Morelos for goals as they once were - but moments and matches like this show his very best qualities. 

His link-up play and assists are a vital part of this team's tactical blueprint. Regardless, Morelos will always be remembered at Ibrox for his goals.