OPINION
It just wasn’t quite happening for Jermain Defoe on Sunday.
The veteran Rangers striker had a host of opportunities to score against Aberdeen but was thwarted by some wayward shooting and the occasional brilliance of Dons stopper Joe Lewis.
It was the kind of performance that comes around once in a blue moon for Defoe; one where his Midas touch evaded him, and everything he tried turned to frustration, rather than gold.
There is perhaps a strong argument to be made, however, that he shouldn’t have had the opportunity to squander so many chances in the first place.
The 36-year-old raced on to a ball over the top in the first half, but was beaten to the bounce by Lewis, who was then met with the striker’s forearm straight to the face.
It looked like a painful one, and the referee deemed it to be quite innocuous, but on reflection, perhaps Defoe had a lucky escape.
As the two race towards each other, it would appear that the forward raises his arm deliberately, or at the very least, in an unnecessary manner.
Only he will know if there was an intent in what happened, but Defoe will surely look back on that incident with some remorse.
The Englishman seems like a genuinely nice guy, and this kind of collision is certainly out of his character.
He needs to be careful though, because it is not difficult to build a bad reputation.
Just ask Alfredo Morelos, who had to watch Sunday’s match from the stands because of suspension.
Defoe needs to be wary that he doesn’t begin to replicate the Colombian’s infamously ill-tempered streak.