[DWelbz19]

He's truly Berbatov Mk II. I like him a lot and people are being too harsh on him(like how most were Harsh on the Berb)

I don't think it is. Berbatov was still a fantastic player, he just simply wasn't cut out for our style of football at the time. Falcao isn't at the same level he has shown before, and is still regaining match fitness and working his way back to his best. Maybe the level of criticism is similar but that's all, in my eyes.

 

[JUPITER]

He's truly Berbatov Mk II. I like him a lot and people are being too harsh on him(like how most were Harsh on the Berb)

Berbatov was a different animal - a proven PL striker who would've flourished in a more smooth, possession based team. But he was never quite bombastic enough for the 'cavalier', on the break football that Fergie was famous for.

Ironically, Berbatov would've probably been better under Van Gaal than he was under Fergie.

Falcao's arrival thus far has reminded me most of when Shevchenko signed for Chelsea. He has that same look of a formerly elite striker who just can't keep up with the speed and physicality of the English game. He's always just a second behind the play and is easily outpaced by even average defenders.

Maybe this will change, though at Falcao's age and increased physical fragility, I'm not entirely convinced it will - how much faster is he going to get than he is now? How much stronger?

You need to be physically game in the PL and you can't be behind the play even a split second, it's a league that will make you look shit if you're missing either of these.

Falcao might be better suited at this point of his career moving to Italy where the tempo of football is slightly more forgiving and less rugged.

He looks more like a squad player than a starter thus far, and if we are gonna sign him I think it should be for no more than £20m with squad striker wages, any higher than that and you're simply paying for reputation.

Just my opinion.

 

[Paolo Di Canio]

I wont judge him on todays performances as he didnt get a decent pass all day

 

[Everest Red]

Can you guys stop bringing up his age? He's 29, not 35.

I'm far from convinced yet, but I don't get the level of scrutiny he receives from the caf. Don't forget that he has actually contributed vital goals and assists while recovering and settling down.

 

[Redo91]

What was he doing today? I mean the service was bad but I thought he would be scoring bicycle kicks from inside his own half. It's Radamel Falcao after all. £44 million? A tenner and a pack of Walkers Prawn Cocktail and you have a deal.

 

[VanGaalEra]

This time last month it was Mata who was at the end of the over reactions we've got in this thread. Prior to that it was RVP, and earlier in the season people wanted De Gea gone.

There's too much knee jerk reactions to a players performance nowadays. Next time Falcao scores a couple of goals in a couple of games, he'll be back to being the best number 9 in the world.

 

[Phil]

This time last month it was Mata who was at the end of the over reactions we've got in this thread. Prior to that it was RVP, and earlier in the season people wanted De Gea gone.

There's too much knee jerk reactions to a players performance nowadays. Next time Falcao scores a couple of goals in a couple of games, he'll be back to being the best number 9 in the world.

Agreed. I'm not usually one to moan but the player threads are so knee jerk that they're tiring at the moment.

 

[bosnian_red]

This time last month it was Mata who was at the end of the over reactions we've got in this thread. Prior to that it was RVP, and earlier in the season people wanted De Gea gone.

There's too much knee jerk reactions to a players performance nowadays. Next time Falcao scores a couple of goals in a couple of games, he'll be back to being the best number 9 in the world.

Who ever wanted De Gea gone is an idiot, though I don't think anybody said that. If anyone said stuff it was just that he started the season relatively quietly and not in the great form from last year.

The criticism for all the players was justified though. Van Persie was in really poor form and looked a shadow of his former self, and then he started playing a lot better, same with Mata. They just weren't getting on the ball at all and kind of went hiding in games. With Falcao though, I really want him to succeed here but I doubt that we'll sign him long term. Just seems to be having troubles adjusting to the physicality of the league, and while he does have glimpses of class and is obviously still recovering from his injury, I have my doubts if he'll ever get back even close to the high standard he was at before. It's like a 50/50 shot how he'll end up, because all his movements are just that bit off, which can be down to sharpness from being out injured, but also there's an equal chance of it just being the injuries taking their toll on him. We'll see which one it is I guess.

 

[bosnian_red]

He's truly Berbatov Mk II. I like him a lot and people are being too harsh on him(like how most were Harsh on the Berb)

Not quite. At his best he'd be brilliant for us or any team, and this is just his injury maybe taking it's toll on him so we don't know what level he can get back to. Berbatov just wasn't ever cut out for a team like United mentally, or suited to our style of play.

 

[J-Stander]

I'm sure he'll score more important goals for us by the end of the season. It definitely isn't the return we'd been hoping for but as long as he contributes in getting us back in the top 4, I couldn't care less. He'll have played his part and we can spend the money elsewhere.

 

[Everest Red]

Not quite. At his best he'd be brilliant for us or any team, and this is just his injury maybe taking it's toll on him so we don't know what level he can get back to. Berbatov just wasn't ever cut out for a team like United mentally, or suited to our style of play.

He played a major role in our league win you ungrateful prick.

 

[WR10]

He has become extremely unathletic. No pace, no agility and physically weak and unimposing. I think he's lost it really. Might still have the technique and knowledge of how to be a striker but he looks like he's completely lost the legs to perform his actions. It's a shame.

 

[bosnian_red]

He played a major role in our league win you ungrateful prick.

Sorry if I upset you I guess? He did have that one brilliant half season and scored 20 goals throughout the whole year, yes, and helped along with Nani carry us through the period when Rooney had the whole contract shit, but other then that he hardly did anything in his United career. Half a good season in 4 years.

 

[Mockney]

He was anonymous, but I tend to think pretty much any striker of his ilk would've been anonymous today. Aside from a couple of posession losses, I can't really blame him for failing to convert non-existent chances, or get on the end of non-existent deliveries.

 

[11101]

Im trying to think of any striker in the last 20 or 30 years who could create their own chances and put up top level numbers on a consistent basis. Henry is the only one really from the Premier League. I dont know what people expect from Falcao when he is getting absolutely no service from our makeshift midfield. The movement and instinct is still there, he just needs something other than balls fired into him from deep with his back to goal.

 

[Dargonk]

I've thought that he has added more to the team than RVP has in a lot of games. He holds off defenders and gets the ball very well, the majority of times winning a free or keeping the ball. My major fault with him is his total lack of pace. It basically rules out playing through balls to him. Ideally I feel he should be paired with a fast attacker (which is what LVG is attempting with Wilson) or not played. When RVP and Falcao both play we simply have no pace up front and it hurts us as we can't get in behind teams. All but rules out counter attacking football. Those two simply shouldn't play together in my opinion.

 

[Deleted member 78215]

Rooney has been poor the last few games, is he shit now, too? Falcao was our best player vs Newcastle, and he's played in every game since then, scored against Stoke, all the while working his way up to fitness. Pretty much everybody was terrible today, except Mata, Herrera and ADM, when he came on.

Basically this is a terrible, terrible thread.

 

[Bobcat]

Big fan of him, and i desperately want him to succeed here, but he needs to show much more than he has thus far. Right now, he is riding on his reputation.

Still, RvP looked shite at the start of the season, but kept getting chances. I hope Falcao is given the same opportunity to prove himself

 

[Mali_Zeus]

Rooney has been poor the last few games, is he shit now, too? Falcao was our best player vs Newcastle, and he's played in every game since then, scored against Stoke, all the while working his way up to fitness. Pretty much everybody was terrible today, except Mata, Herrera and ADM, when he came on.

Basically this is a terrible, terrible thread.

Yeah best to avoid it. It will be an interesting read if he hits form, wonder what all the 'he lost it' posters will say.

 

[devilish]

Even if he scored 30 goals I would consider his signing as a bad piece of business. No 29 year old striker is worth 40m especially if he's playing in the EPL were the pace and physicality of the game tend to cut the striker's career short. Things might be different if we had 2-3 twenty year old something strikers that would benefit from Falcao's experience. Unfortunately its not the case.

Id rather see us get a quality CM and move our best striker upfront. If we need a 3-4th striker get Hernandez back.

 

[Macaris Socks]

I really don’t see how Falcao can be fully judged considering the poor service he is getting, as good a striker as he potentially is there’s a limit to what can be created from scraps.

Against Stoke he did score & bring some tenacity and was missed when he was substituted, ironically the game against Yeovil would have suited him better when Di Maria came on and the game became stretched.

The main problem in this squad for me starts primarily with the shocking distribution coming out of defence.

 

[Ekeke]

That was Wilson thriving today? Running around a lot and making a couple decent touches and putting a header over the bar?

How about almost every attack we had, he showed good holdup and linkup play. Pay more attention

 

[Escobar]

I'd love to see him in a well working team, with a great midfield behind him that can actually create chances. Difficult for him (and any other striker) if there is no service but his general play I think is fine

 

[Bubz27]

How about almost every attack we had, he showed good holdup and linkup play. Pay more attention

Okay, will do from now on.

 

[Getsme]

Yeah best to avoid it. It will be an interesting read if he hits form, wonder what all the 'he lost it' posters will say.

No doubt they will be hiding.

 

[The Purley King]

Is it only me that thinks he has a weird running style? Did he have this pre-injury?
He does look a little slow to me - even Yeovil defenders were bullying him yesterday.
Do not want for £40m at the moment, but happy to reassess at the end of the season. If he hasn't got any stronger/faster then I think we should pass.

 

[the hea]

We should spend our money on some wingers not on strikers. 4-3-3/4-2-3-1 is the formation we should build our team around, RVP/Rooney/Wilson is more than enough if we play with a single striker. getting some players like Deepay or Reus should be our priority.

 

[legball]

Is it only me that thinks he has a weird running style? Did he have this pre-injury?
He does look a little slow to me - even Yeovil defenders were bullying him yesterday.
Do not want for £40m at the moment, but happy to reassess at the end of the season. If he hasn't got any stronger/faster then I think we should pass.

He always ran like that, nothing to do with injury, no worries haha.

 

[legball]

This place is funny. Few weeks ago LVG was clueless for not playing him [while he was injured] - now, he's not good enough, past it and stuff [after one below average performance]. There's a reason we took him on loan, let's not forget that. If he comes good, we will sign him. If he doesn't, then we won't. And Falcao is 29 for heavens' sake, the way people go on about his age, you'll think he's nearing 35. If there was any other top, up and coming striker, I would have preferred that obviously, but the only other striker we can go for is Cavani and to be honest, I don't think he's particularly stellar.

 

[Freak]

I wouldn't worry too much about him, especially when our midfield is creating feck all for our strikers.

 

[Cassidy]

This place is funny. Few weeks ago LVG was clueless for not playing him [while he was injured] - now, he's not good enough, past it and stuff [after one below average performance]. There's a reason we took him on loan, let's not forget that. If he comes good, we will sign him. If he doesn't, then we won't. And Falcao is 29 for heavens' sake, the way people go on about his age, you'll think he's nearing 35. If there was any other top, up and coming striker, I would have preferred that obviously, but the only other striker we can go for is Cavani and to be honest, I don't think he's particularly stellar.

I'd rather have Falcao than Cavani...

 

[ItsEssexRob]

Theres always an excuse for some people. Lack of service, not in the right position, formation was wrong. Why can some people just never call it as it is?

 

[Godfather]

Theres always an excuse for some people. Lack of service, not in the right position, formation was wrong. Why can some people just never call it as it is?

Our strikers do lack service though.

 

[Sarni]

He has become extremely unathletic. No pace, no agility and physically weak and unimposing. I think he's lost it really. Might still have the technique and knowledge of how to be a striker but he looks like he's completely lost the legs to perform his actions. It's a shame.

Wait another 2-3 months. He had a lengthy layoff, was rushed from it in order to be prepared for the World Cup in which he didn't participate anyway, then he had a few short spells on the sidelines while at United. He need a few weeks of proper football before we can assess whether he'll be up for it or not.

 

[Cassidy]

Theres always an excuse for some people. Lack of service, not in the right position, formation was wrong. Why can some people just never call it as it is?

All of our Strikers haven't looked great this season, couldn't be anything to do with the team not creating enough for them though...
Anyway 7 starts 3 goals and 3 assists isn't exactly that bad for a player coming back from injury. Jury is still out, I wouldn't be inclinded to sign him at the end of the season as yet, but I'm open to seeing what he does from now till the end of the season if he can stay fit and Di Maria and Herrera can stay fit too.

 

[Sarni]

Theres always an excuse for some people. Lack of service, not in the right position, formation was wrong. Why can some people just never call it as it is?

Why? Falcao has always been reliant on service and we've been poor in that aspect for a while. He has still scored a few important goals for us this season and has basically won us 4 points with his goals versus Everton, Villa and Stoke. It's not like he's been Torres mk2 for us, he's been mostly decent and if we could pick him up for €25m at the end of season it'd be a great deal.

 

[Getsme]

Theres always an excuse for some people. Lack of service, not in the right position, formation was wrong. Why can some people just never call it as it is?

Because in the real world everything is not black and white.

 

[Barca84]

I wouldn't worry too much about him, especially when our midfield is creating feck all for our strikers.

Yep. When he's missing chances left right and centre a la Torres then we can make a judgement.

Until then I'll be keeping an open mind myself. We look pretty ugly all over the pitch to be fair.

 

[Ekeke]

He's clearly not in the Torres category, he's fine. He's just not in the category of player you should be paying lots of money for either

 

[Walrus]

He's clearly not in the Torres category, he's fine. He's just not in the category of player you should be paying lots of money for either

Pretty much.

If we do end up signing him (barring dramatic improvements in performance) it will just prove that the permanent deal was already pretty much done and dusted when he came, and just being delayed for FFP or whatever reason it was.