Thursday 19 November 2015 11:19, UK
West Ham's clash with Tottenham on Super Sunday evokes happy memories for Ravel Morrison. Here, we consider how the former Manchester United prodigy is faring at Lazio and wonder what's next for a player still waiting to unlock his huge potential…
Two years ago at White Hart Lane, Ravel Morrison's brilliant solo goal sealed a memorable 3-0 win for West Ham against their London rivals, with Sam Allardyce describing his 50-yard dribble and audacious dinked finish as "genius" in his post-match press conference.
"You will struggle to see a better goal this season," added the former Hammers manager, and he wasn't alone in praising the talented midfielder. Morrison appeared to be coming of age after a troubled start to his career at Manchester United. He was in the form of his life, and his thrilling performances for West Ham and England U21s had put him in contention for a place in Roy Hodgson's World Cup squad.
A few months later, Morrison had lost his place in West Ham's starting line-up and any hopes of making the plane to Brazil had evaporated amid reports of a falling out with Allardyce. Perhaps the expectations had been unrealistic, but Morrison's natural talent has been a source of excitement since his formative years at United, where his grace in possession and ability to glide past opponents set him apart from an early age.
After that tantalising glimpse of Morrison's quality at West Ham, another roadblock in his career felt reminiscent of his departure from Old Trafford in 2012. "He possessed as much natural talent as any youngster we ever signed," Sir Alex Ferguson wrote in his new book Leading. "It was very painful to sell him to West Ham in 2012 because he could have been a fantastic player. But, over a period of years, the problems off the pitch continued to escalate and we had little option but to cut the cord."
Much to the disappointment of many West Ham fans, there was no way back for Morrison under Allardyce, either. There were flickers of class when he scored six goals in 17 appearances on loan at QPR in 2014, but he lost his place in the side as they navigated the Championship play-offs. An unsuccessful stint at Cardiff was then cut short in January of this year, and his contract at West Ham was terminated shortly afterwards.
Morrison agreed a deal with Lazio and began the latest chapter of his career in Italy this season. It was a brave and unexpected move, and it appeared to get off to a good start when a string of eye-catching performances in pre-season immediately endeared him to Lazio supporters. In Rome, the 22-year-old has evoked memories of Paul Gascoigne, another maverick English talent who became a cult figure at the club in the early 90s.
But while Morrison was an instant hit with the fans, he has found it difficult to replicate his pre-season form consistently on the pitch. After four substitute appearances, he was handed his first start in a 2-0 win away to Rosenborg in the Europa League two weeks ago, but manager Stefano Pioli has raised questions of his attitude and in September he said "he still doesn't speak a word of Italian".
Sources in Italy say Morrison has already been guilty of missing training sessions, and he appears to be near the bottom of Pioli's midfield pecking order. But while his relationship with the manager is somewhat strained, sporting director Igli Tare is determined for him to succeed at the club.
"Ravel Morrison is one of those classic footballers who is a bit eccentric," Tare told Sky Sports in Italy last month. "Without doubt he's an outstanding player because he's got some great moves. People like him need time, but his time will come."
Morrison has struggled to integrate with his new team-mates and spends most of his time with his entourage. He sparked speculation over his future by tweeting "January…" last month, but there have been encouraging signs too. He is taking an intense Italian language course, he has struck up a friendship with young winger Keita Balde, and his first start against Rosenborg suggests he could get more opportunities.
Morrison is just 22, but the next few weeks could be key to his future. It's difficult to imagine him staying at Lazio in January unless he gets more playing time, but it appears he has work to do to earn Pioli's trust.
West Ham would dearly love that "genius" of two years ago in their side at White Hart Lane on Sunday, but Morrison can't afford to dwell on the past. Right now, he faces a fight to ensure his Italian adventure doesn't follow a familiar pattern.
