Everyone knows by now there was nothing actually ironic about that annoying Alanis Morrisette song from the 90s of the same name.
Rain on wedding day will have the new wife moaning on day one but there’s nowt ironic about it.
And it’s a bit like that when it comes to this new away goals rule. Or lack of one, it should be.
Rangers fans have got a swagger right now but they’ve still had enough bouts of Scottishitis over the years to look at that Steve Davis goal and hear wee Alanis in the back of their heads.
That 94th minute strike was massive. But 12 months ago it would have been absolutely colossal. It already changes the complexion of the tie but in the away goal days it would have knocked the odds of Rangers going through even shorter.
A goal at Ibrox would have done the job and Steven Gerrard could have shut up shop.
It’s blooming typical to get such a biggie after UEFA shut the barn door.
Gers now need two at least but while the away goal has gone, at least there’s a key factor coming back.
Alfredo Morelos was spotted doing some solo training in a Glasgow Airport car park this week after being left off the plan on the jaunt to Sweden.
Gerrard needs to get the Colombian doing an extra few laps so he’s flying for the second leg.
There’s been so much talk about what it would cost for the frontman, with constant speculation surrounding his future for years now.
A £16m attempt from France didn’t cut it a year ago, especially as it was going to be paid up like a new coat from the Freemans catalogue.
Rangers are holding out for north of £20m and quite right too when you see what that get’s you in the English Premier League, even in these post-pandemic days.
It gets you a half decent centre-half's bad foot if you’re lucky.
But when the wee fella is out of the side you can see the value to Rangers. He’s absolutely priceless.
Quite simply, Gers are not the same team without him.
No harm to Cedric Itten, who put in a shift in Sweden without really getting much decent service, but he’s not at the same level as the guy back home.
Kemar Roofe might be that man, but he needs a run of injury free months, while Fashion Sakala has shown positive signs but he’ll need time to settle and there’s a lot more to come.
Gerrard might be having to think about life after Alfredo, but he’ll be hoping it’s a worry for another time. After Rangers have safely negotiated a path to the Champions League group stages.
Morelos will certainly be needed to get them there, and first up in the Malmo return.
There’s a fair few Gers fans who have been miffed he wasn’t around for the first leg. Talk about harsh.
He was part of the Colombia squad that got to the semi-finals of the Copa America last month. He might only popped up against Peru in the group stages but his country won the third place play-off on July 9.
Morelos was still part of their bubble and needed to have some down time. Don’t forget he was also snibbed with covid before the tournament so won’t have had much time to unwind after a gruelling Scottish season.
The guy also has family to catch up with and for all he can get himself in to scrapes, he’s still a young lad living far from home.
Less than a fortnight off is hardly too much to ask for.
Rangers would have been happy to see him at the Copa to inflate his fee a bit more, so they have to take the rough with the smooth when he needs a bit of R&R afterwards.
It’s all very well demanding he gets his backside back across the Atlantic, but there wouldn’t be much point if he raced back with a petted lip.
Gerrard has his hands full with the striker but so far he’s just about managed to prevent his hands from getting burn.
Giving Morelos that extra time might just give him the motivation to repay his gaffer next week.
The man who missed the first leg might do the damage needed to keep the Champions League dream alive.
It would be more iconic than ironic.
