8 Feb 2015

Carra warns: After Prem fail, I don't see 'outstanding' £20m-attacker staying at Man Utd

Last summer, Liverpool were heavily linked with a loan move for one-time goal-machine Radamel Falcao, but after struggling for consistency and form this season, it seems that the Reds dodged a major bullet by failing to seal the deal. Right now, Falcao is a shadow of the player he used to be, and LFC legend Jamie Carragher expects Manchester United to dump the Colombian striker at the end of the season.

After watching United struggle to a draw with West Ham, Carra observed:

"I don't see Falcao staying [at Manchester United], and it's something they have to address. Falcao and Van Persie lack movement and I don't think this is a partnership that's working"

Prior to Falcao's £20m Man Utd loan deal, French radio station RMC claimed that:

* FSG approved a season-long loan deal worth £12m (€15m).
* The contract would include an automatic £40m (€50m) purchase clause.

It's probably a good thing that the deal fell through, but although Falcao is not setting the world on fire right now, but he's not a total Balotelli-style flop, either.

The prevailing view seems to be that the Colombian is under-performing, but with 9 goals/assists in 20 games (goal/assist every 2.1 games), that's clearly nonsense.

Despite his ACL injury, Falcao is still outperforming Balotelli, Borini, and Lambert, so if he's a failure, what does that make those three LFC players?

Additionally, if Liverpool had signed Falcao on loan, the £12m fee would've been infinitely better value than the £16m splurged on Balotelli, who continually struggles to make Liverpool's match-day squad.

The Falcao-Liverpool story may not be over, though. In January, his agent admitted that the striker may leave Man United at the end of this season, and soon after, The Sunday Times claimed that:

* Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City are all 'keeping tabs' on Falcao.

* Man United have a £43m option to buy at the end of the season, but the Reds are reportedly hoping that he'll be available for a much smaller fee.

Falcao - recently hailed by Juan Mata as 'outstanding - is clearly better for for Liverpool's system than Balotelli, but I can't see Liverpool going back in for him in the summer.

Author:


57 comments:

  1. How can you compare Falcao to Lambert and Borini you could add them together and multiply them by 4 and you still wouldn't come to the same value Borini is an unwanted Striker and Lambert was the experienced head who wouldn't expect to play but would be happy to come on off the bench Had Borini have left last summer then Balloteli wouldn't not have been brought in on loan in stead a second striker would have been added Liverpool will not complete on Balotelli just as United will not complete on Falcao and Borini and Lambert will be sold this piece offers no understanding of how the transfer system works the Balotelli deal was excellent bringing in a player on loan who could play in the league and perform at a top club although he has baggage it hasnt worked and we will move on but we could have easily be held to ransom for a permanent striker and that could have gone the same way as Balotelli just as Falcao made perfect sense to United to add for a season if he doesn't get united CL football next season he wont be the only one leaving the club likewise it could just be that balotelli scores a goal that get Liverpool 3 points somewhere between now and the end of the season that puts them in the CL places ahead of United and the picture will look a whole lot different then

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  2. Balotelli is not on loan, we payed £16m for him.

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  3. On a related topic, I think we should have some appreciation for Big Sam Allardyce, who today had these wise words to say about MU;


    "I suppose in the end we just couldn't cope with long-ball United. It was just thump it forward and see what they could get, and in the end it paid off for them".

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  4. I must admit I thought Falcoa would be a great signing for utd, even though he's costing them a fortune I thought he'd guarantee them goals. Thankfully it hasn't worked out. The PL is the quickest and most physical league in Europe and some players are just not cut out for it, as is proving to be the case for Falcoa and the likes of Shevchenko before him. Don't think We'll go anywhere near him after the season is finished.

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  5. Falcao*...but when Woodward looks at the wage expenses and his performances, more like Falc-ouch

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  6. Falcoa has been pants, doesn't matter how you dress it up. Absolute stinky pants. Just as bad as Balotelli in his own way, considering the money they're paying him and what he was supposed to do for the team.

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  7. This is a relative problem though Jaimie. While he gets a goal and assist every 2.1 games, it's below the standards that he became renowned for. He needs to do more than little poaching goals.

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  8. Falcao is a flop, period.

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  9. No punctuation only works for Faulkner, McCarthy, and Joyce.

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  10. And no one ever. :D

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  11. Just because Falcao scored a few at United doesn't necessarily mean he would've done much better than our useless strikers, because United have more experienced players beside Falcao. I fancy Mario at United would've scored a few there as well. Liverpool need pacey strikers because we don't put great delivery into the box and Falcao would've found it tough getting goals for Liverpool with his lack of movement.

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  12. That is the biggest line I have ever read online.

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  13. Paragraphs. Fullstops. Commas.

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  14. Read it or saw it? Itried to read it, got the first third...

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  15. Just read some (parts) of your posts. You make sense most of the time- would help a lot if you used fullstops and comas..

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  16. Read it (he has not completed his line yet)

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  17. Also, I might add...players may usually do rise to the fore, but what has it achieved us? What, as you would call it, specific measurable impact has it created? Two second placed finishes? Your opinion perfectly represents a tactic of moving the club sideways, not forward.


    So how about we change things up a little and actually try to keep our current players all the while new stars like Ibe simultaneously emerge, instead of relying on them- or transfer recruits- to rise to the fore? Because maybe twice the amount of firepower will yield twice the amount of impact?

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  18. Falcoa is not much better either ;-)

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  19. I have seen other reports of a more complicated deal with his agent involved. Has it been officially confirmed?

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  20. One thing I have noticed is that the Times and Telegraph are no better than the red tops with their football related stories.

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  21. There. and you thought it was a nice friendly football forum not another of those keep you awake at night in a cold sweat type of English exams. No one expects the Spanish Inquisition.

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  22. Really, how come so many English people think it is Falcoa?

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  23. Gerrard didn't say he is already fantastic, he said he did fantastic, those are two different things.
    What's wrong with saying he had a sensational performance? If someone plays well I think they should be praised for it.
    If Gerrard had said he was the finished product or world class, then I could understand, but praising someone like that doesn't seem too bad.

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  24. Nicolas Chamberlain10:18 am, February 09, 2015

    Any thruth in our interest in Wilshere?
    He is too injury prone but I wouldn't mine having him in our squad.
    I think it is worth the risk.

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  25. f*** that would be random

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  26. He'd be viewed as a gerrard 'replacement'. We either find heaps of cash from somewhere and use that to buy a ready-made replacement, or we aim for cheaper buys that get us really talented players who haven't quite filled their potential yet. That's exactly what Wilshere is, and IMO the buy would have a little bit of Sturridge about it.

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  27. In fact, it has a lot of Sturridge about it. Young, not quite hitting potential, supposed attitude problems, club giving up on them, heaps of talent, very self-confident and hip socially (and on the pitch)

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  28. There is a site that ranked papers in order of accuracy of transfer rumours. I thibkbthe top was the guardian on 30 odd %

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  29. Nicolas Chamberlain10:51 am, February 09, 2015

    Totally agree.
    I always had a weak spot for the player Wilshere.
    The only concern is his physique.

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  30. I'm a huge fan of Wilshere. Definitely worth the risk, and what a statement to the Gooners it would be!

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  31. Or at least one of them.

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  32. Well it wouldn't be a statement if they wanted to sell him in the first place...

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  33. No, please no. He was a much better player 3 years ago than he is now. Overrated with extremely injury prone.

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  34. To be fair though, I doubt he just lost his ability. He might need a fresh change

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  35. We just need more of a creative spark. Lucas is out for a month now so I would play Can in midfield and give Lovren another chance.


    What you think? I would play Ibe as well...

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  36. 4 at the back.. Ibe winger, as Lallana and Markovic..

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  37. Month?! FFS. Yes, play Ibe. And Can in midfield.

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  38. You dont finish inside the top four because you win one game. You finish inside the top four because you win a lot of them. Sure Falcao is not about to score 20 or 30 this season but he at least makes the matchday Squad. Balo doesnt even do that anymore. The good thing about all of this is that Falcao's price has dropped tremendously. Maybe we should see if Monaco want to don a straight swap in the summer. Or offer Balo plus 10 for Lacazette. That would be even better

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  39. RFal' is too old & slow, no thanks. Wilshere always injured and would be handing out the cigis' to the kids, rather use Can & Hendo in CM, so no thanks.

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  40. I'm still waiting on Suarez replacement.

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  41. My suspicion is that if we can get the Sturridge medic to fix Wilshere's injuries, and cut out his smoking, he can remain at his best consistently. Which would be great for us. He and Can would make a mean, mean midfield.

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  42. Aaaaaand back down to earth I fall. :(

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  43. That's exactly my feeling. I say go for it.

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  44. He can score goals from midfield. There is no smoke without fire-power

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  45. I'm sure Emre can light up midfield with a smokin' shot or twenty.

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  46. We could give him Lovren's shirt number; he does not need it

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  47. Very good. Players No6.

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  48. I think it's pretty obvious that Falcao works better when he is the lone striker. He would have done a lot better at Liverpool than he is doing at United who insist on playing Rooney, RVP and Falcao in the same team. It's all if's and buts.

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  49. How can you compare Falcao to Lambert and Borini? You could add them
    together and multiply them by 4 and you still wouldn't come to the same
    value! Borini is an unwanted striker; and Lambert was the experienced head
    who wouldn't expect to play but would be happy to come on off the bench.
    Had Borini left last summer then Balloteli wouldn't have been
    brought in on loan. Instead, a second striker would have been added.
    Liverpool will not complete on Balotelli just as United will not
    complete on Falcao, and Borini and Lambert will be sold.

    This piece offers
    no understanding of how the transfer system works. The Balotelli deal
    was excellent, bringing in a player on loan who could play in the league
    and perform at a top club although he has baggage. It hasn't worked, and we
    will move on, but we could easily have been held to ransom for a permanent
    striker -- and that could have gone the same way as Balotelli. Falcao made perfect sense to United to add for a season, but if he doesn't
    get United CL football next season, he won't be the only one leaving the
    club. Likewise it could just be that Balotelli scores a goal that get
    Liverpool 3 points somewhere between now and the end of the season that
    puts them in the CL places ahead of United -- and the picture will look a
    whole lot different then!

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  50. Don't know if the smoking is a major issue though. Apparently Rooney smokes. A lot of the world's best players have smoked...

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  51. That's why I like Wilshere, he has pretty good goalscoring ability from midfield

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  52. Imagine adding him to our hip hop swag Anfield clique. Balotelli, Sturridge, Sterling, Ibe, Wilshere, Ojo (eventually) all making weekly insta videos dancing to Kanye in the dressing room, then breaking out a choreographed dance after a goal

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  53. They look very similar

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  54. It's all nonsense mate, I wouldn't wipe my ar*e with any of them

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  55. The loan fee and wages were always too high for me and I've not seen anything from him this season to change my mind although I do think he'd have done better at us

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  56. I disagree with the idea that he's not more of a flop than Balotelli.


    Considering the cost of each player.

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