[Acquire Me]

What on earth has that got to do with how they rate Falcao? Costa does not fit into the Spanish side at all, they even dropped him for the last 2 games.

Costa has scored 11 in 11 games in the PL, thats how they rate him. Hes second only to Aguero in the PL.

He just made it back from injury to play in Brazil. Everyone need time after a serious injury. Many people thought that Costa could have been a shit signing for Chelsea after seeing him in Brazil.

My point is that Falcao need time to get his fitness and form back. It will happen.

 

[devilish]

At 29 he isn't worth a 40m+ fee.

 

[Rooney in Paris]

If Falcao lifts the ball a couple of feet the defender has no chance. How anyone can say with straight face that wasn't a miss or he couldn't have done better is beyond me.

No one is saying that it wasn't a miss. It was. It just wasn't a sitter. He did as well as he could with a ball given slightly behind him, the shot was on target and went past the keeper and it required a very good last ditch clearance by Dawson for it not to go in.

 

[Pexbo]

If Falcao lifts the ball a couple of feet the defender has no chance. How anyone can say with straight face that wasn't a miss or he couldn't have done better is beyond me.

Watch it again. From his view he couldn't have had a clue that Dawson was coming across the line. He did everything messes army as far as he could know to guide it carefully towards goal and if Dawson wasn't there, which he wasn't as far as Falcao knew, it's a goal.

Making things difficult by going for some sort of dink or chip is just asking for an embarrassing miss at an empty net.

 

[Chaky_Best]

I know that he was unlucky with his injuries since he came to United, but to be honest I’m starting to be frustrated by him. When he was at Atletico he was a monster, I remember his game against Chelsea when he scored 4 goals and was unbelievable, but his year in France and his injury changed him.

I’m worried about LVG choice. It’s true that Welbz’s left, like Chicha, but we’re in December and Falcao has just scored one goal since… He’s not giving or delivering what he should. I’m frustrated by him, and having RVP out of form/confidence and him not well, it only left Rooney as the main striker.

I would like him to prove me wrong soon but I’m not that confident, I think that we’ll struggle with our strikers this season

 

[FC Ronaldo]

I’m worried about LVG choice. It’s true that Welbz’s left, like Chicha, but we’re in December and Falcao has just scored one goal since… He’s not giving or delivering what he should. I’m frustrated by him, and having RVP out of form/confidence and him not well, it only left Rooney as the main striker.

Be worried by all means, that's your right, but he's had 271 mins of Premier League football (WhoScored). Coming off a big injury and suffering another minor injury too with a new culture, manager and set up plus more competition for places than he's ever experienced before. On top of that, when he's played he's looked considerably more threatening than RVP thus far. He's also assisted twice and scored already not to mention could have had a hat trick for Colombia where 2 goal bound shots were stolen from him on the line.

I'd give him a bit more time myself before judging it quite to the manner above. He's about to go through his first winter of football and games coming every few days too. Touch wood his injuries are behind him and he scores a sh*t load.

 

[MancFanFromManc]

I was there on Saturday, and I'd have loved to see him score (live). Cant believe he didnt when Mata tee'd him up late on

Really want to see him get 90 minutes in

 

[Pogue Mahone]

There's an interesting comment from Van Gaal when he's discussing Anderson:

"I wouldn't pick him yet because you have to be fit. Being fit to play is the smallest thing you can demand as a trainer.

"You have to have professional league fitness. You have to be fit. That's why players have to play in the second team, even players like Falcao, in spite of his name.

"Fitness is the most important thing. First you have to show your fitness. Not for just one day but for several weeks."

I wonder if Falcao might get a run out for our U-21s?

Oh the indignity!

 

[Sarni]

I know that he was unlucky with his injuries since he came to United, but to be honest I’m starting to be frustrated by him. When he was at Atletico he was a monster, I remember his game against Chelsea when he scored 4 goals and was unbelievable, but his year in France and his injury changed him.

I’m worried about LVG choice. It’s true that Welbz’s left, like Chicha, but we’re in December and Falcao has just scored one goal since… He’s not giving or delivering what he should. I’m frustrated by him, and having RVP out of form/confidence and him not well, it only left Rooney as the main striker.

I would like him to prove me wrong soon but I’m not that confident, I think that we’ll struggle with our strikers this season

Give him time to get back to his best. His all round play has been very good so far, he just needs a run in the first team to get going. He will eventually get there and I still expect him to knock 15 goals this season in the league.

 

[RedPnutz]

Once again it appears that fans are getting impatient again. Despite what we might like to think or what conspiracy theories we want to believe, the simplest explanation is the one that LVG has given, that he has certain fitness standards and he expects players to meet them before he lets them play full matches or start.

Falcao, despite his stellar reputation, did undergo a major injury and more niggly ones over here. Why are some fans getting frustrated? We can recognize the need for playing into form with Rooney for example, so why are people upset that Falcao isn't firing on all cylinders with only the handful of minutes he has played.

 

[Rooney in Paris]

There's an interesting comment from Van Gaal when he's discussing Anderson:



I wonder if Falcao might get a run out for our U-21s?

Oh the indignity!

Indignity? I think it's fairly sensible for a player trying to reach full fitness, haven't many of our players played with the reserves after injuries?

Obviously depends on the timing as well, if Van Gaal makes him plays with the second team now, it's a bit silly and embarrassing given he was ready to play with the first team, but if he meant a couple of weeks ago, nothing wrong with that imo.

 

[Sam]

Once again it appears that fans are getting impatient again. Despite what we might like to think or what conspiracy theories we want to believe, the simplest explanation is the one that LVG has given, that he has certain fitness standards and he expects players to meet them before he lets them play full matches or start.

Falcao, despite his stellar reputation, did undergo a major injury and more niggly ones over here. Why are some fans getting frustrated? We can recognize the need for playing into form with Rooney for example, so why are people upset that Falcao isn't firing on all cylinders with only the handful of minutes he has played.

Frustrated is probably the wrong word, I'd say concerned. And thats because in about 6 months time we've got to make a decision on whether to spend £44 million on a (soon to be) 29 year old who, up until now, has failed to get himself fit enough to last a game (not his fault, but still a fact) or put in any performances to justify spending anywhere near that kind of money on him.

Its a huge amount of money for a player who hasn't really been 'world class' since 2013, has suffered his second ACL injury of his career, and is going to be nearing 29 in the Summer. We'd all love him to find that Athletico form again, it would be absolutely fantastic to have a player like that playing for United, but I don't see why its so outrageous to be worried he might not find that form again, and therefore think that £44 million could be spent much more wisely. All season people have been saying, 'oh just wait till he hits form, he'll score so many' and things like that, well its December and he's managed one goal.

 

[SirAF]

Indignity? I think it's fairly sensible for a player trying to reach full fitness, haven't many of our players played with the reserves after injuries?

Obviously depends on the timing as well, if Van Gaal makes him plays with the second team now, it's a bit silly and embarrassing given he was ready to play with the first team, but if he meant a couple of weeks ago, nothing wrong with that imo.

I'm guessing Pogue was just joking

But yeah, there's no problem with him getting some minutes for the U21's to build his fitness even more. The only thing I'd be vary of is some random aggressive youngster who would be out to make a name for himself..

 

[Lowkey]

Sheringham, Solskjaer, Yorke, Cole

Tevez, Ronaldo, Rooney, Berbatov

Rooney, Falcao, Van Persie, Di Maria

Says it all really

 

[bishblaize]

Frustrated is probably the wrong word, I'd say concerned. And thats because in about 6 months time we've got to make a decision on whether to spend £44 million on a (soon to be) 29 year old who, up until now, has failed to get himself fit enough to last a game (not his fault, but still a fact) or put in any performances to justify spending anywhere near that kind of money on him.

Its a huge amount of money for a player who hasn't really been 'world class' since 2013, has suffered his second ACL injury of his career, and is going to be nearing 29 in the Summer. We'd all love him to find that Athletico form again, it would be absolutely fantastic to have a player like that playing for United, but I don't see why its so outrageous to be worried he might not find that form again, and therefore think that £44 million could be spent much more wisely. All season people have been saying, 'oh just wait till he hits form, he'll score so many' and things like that, well its December and he's managed one goal.

I fail to see that as a problem. Just the opposite, its a luxury position to be in. Even if he'd been banging them in for Monaco & Colombia and hadn't been injured, Id much rather get him in on loan with an option to buy than just buy outright. Try before you buy, if only we could do that with every expensive player. That's a great position for the club to be in. If he stays injured, or fails to regain his form, we don't pick up his option. Simple.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

I'm guessing Pogue was just joking

But yeah, there's no problem with him getting some minutes for the U21's to build his fitness even more. The only thing I'd be vary of is some random aggressive youngster who would be out to make a name for himself..

Correct. I'd actually like to see him start for the U-21s. Needs some football and could probably do with a confidence boost too.

 

[SirAF]

Correct. I'd actually like to see him start for the U-21s. Needs some football and could probably do with a confidence boost too.

Absolutely agree with that.

 

[KeninDC]

I think LvG is being cautious in bringing him back-and that's OK. But obviously Falcao needs to show he can play meangingful minutes in a string of games.

On buying Falcao, I think in terms of amortizing his fee over a period of time in which he displays true class. By the end of this year I think we'll know whether or not he has returned to a world class form. If yes, then I think his fee is worth it if we expect to get three years at that level. I think expecting continued top performances between 29-32 is reasonable.

 

[SirAF]

I think LvG is being cautious in bringing him back-and that's OK. But obviously Falcao needs to show he can play meangingful minutes in a string of games.

On buying Falcao, I think in terms of amortizing his fee over a period of time in which he displays true class. By the end of this year I think we'll know whether or not he has returned to a world class form. If yes, then I think his fee is worth it if we expect to get three years at that level. I think expecting continued top performances between 29-32 is reasonable.

Yeah, I would be very happy with three top class seasons from him - I wouldn't bet against us winning one of the two big ones during that period if he really gets going.

 

[Rooney in Paris]

I'm guessing Pogue was just joking

Correct. I'd actually like to see him start for the U-21s. Needs some football and could probably do with a confidence boost too.

I wondered whether it was serious or not, sorry for misunderstanding!

 

[Roboc7]

If we want to sign him beyond this season it should be on loan for another year or we should be looking to halve the £44m fee, 6 months of football isn’t enough time to shell out that kind of money on a 29 year old who won’t have had a good season since 2012/13. He is coming back at the right time as he should get some starts given all the games coming up and ideally he will have a brilliant 6 months and give LVG a difficult decision to make.

 

[acnumber9]

No one is saying that it wasn't a miss. It was. It just wasn't a sitter. He did as well as he could with a ball given slightly behind him, the shot was on target and went past the keeper and it required a very good last ditch clearance by Dawson for it not to go in.

The keeper was taken out by the pass. You're being generous.

 

[acnumber9]

Watch it again. From his view he couldn't have had a clue that Dawson was coming across the line. He did everything messes army as far as he could know to guide it carefully towards goal and if Dawson wasn't there, which he wasn't as far as Falcao knew, it's a goal.

Making things difficult by going for some sort of dink or chip is just asking for an embarrassing miss at an empty net.

I've watched it enough. You don't have to dink or chip a ball to get it off the ground.

 

[Pexbo]

I've watched it enough. You don't have to dink or chip a ball to get it off the ground.

So he's supposed to try and smash it in the roof of what appears to be an empty net.

Yeah that seems like the smart thing to try with a ball that is slightly behind you from 8 yards out.

 

[ItsEssexRob]

Frustrated is probably the wrong word, I'd say concerned. And thats because in about 6 months time we've got to make a decision on whether to spend £44 million on a (soon to be) 29 year old who, up until now, has failed to get himself fit enough to last a game (not his fault, but still a fact) or put in any performances to justify spending anywhere near that kind of money on him.

Its a huge amount of money for a player who hasn't really been 'world class' since 2013, has suffered his second ACL injury of his career, and is going to be nearing 29 in the Summer. We'd all love him to find that Athletico form again, it would be absolutely fantastic to have a player like that playing for United, but I don't see why its so outrageous to be worried he might not find that form again, and therefore think that £44 million could be spent much more wisely. All season people have been saying, 'oh just wait till he hits form, he'll score so many' and things like that, well its December and he's managed one goal.

I'd say frustrated is a fair word. Concerned would more be if you had paid a huge fee. Its possibly down to the hype surrounding his arrival and his previous reputation. If we were to sign say Robben(again) Messi or Ronaldo etc the excitement levels would go through the roof, if then they were constantly injured or werent performing to their old standards its natural to be annoyed and frustrated.

Although it seems odd that pro and con Falcoa'ers are getting involved in huge tactical debates over whether or not the chance against Hull was easy or slightly less easy. Dont seem to remember Atletico having these debates!

 

[JPRouve]

I'd say frustrated is a fair word. Concerned would more be if you had paid a huge fee. Its possibly down to the hype surrounding his arrival and his previous reputation. If we were to sign say Robben(again) Messi or Ronaldo etc the excitement levels would go through the roof, if then they were constantly injured or werent performing to their old standards its natural to be annoyed and frustrated.

Although it seems odd that pro and con Falcoa'ers are getting involved in huge tactical debates over whether or not the chance against Hull was easy or slightly less easy. Dont seem to remember Atletico having these debates!

I think that it's even worse because he seems to be good enough for our ambitions, it's only the injuries who are messing up everything.

 

[acnumber9]

So he's supposed to try and smash it in the roof of what appears to be an empty net.

Yeah that seems like the smart thing to try with a ball that is slightly behind you from 8 yards out.

I didn't realise Falcao had zero peripheral vision or awareness of what happens on a football pitch. Saying a player missed a sitter isn't a damning indictment of a player no matter how much people in this thread want to get their knickers in a twist and have a fictitious argument about how he's being shown no patience.

 

[JPRouve]

I didn't realise Falcao had zero peripheral vision or awareness of what happens on a football pitch

He is not in the rythm, you will see that when/if he plays more.

 

[Rooney in Paris]

Although it seems odd that pro and con Falcoa'ers are getting involved in huge tactical debates over whether or not the chance against Hull was easy or slightly less easy. Dont seem to remember Atletico having these debates!

You're making too much out of it: it's the nature of a forum, some believe it's a sitter, others don't. People exchange their opinions. It's not 'a huge tactical debate'.

I think that it's even worse because he seems to be good enough for our ambitions, it's only the injuries who are messing up everything.

He's going to be, he's just had the start to the season ravaged by niggling injuries. I think he's going to be instrumental during the festive period and kick on big time during the second half of the season.

 

[acnumber9]

He is not in the rythm, you will see that when/if he plays more.

Which is fair enough and I wouldn't be surprised if he did. I still think painting a picture of how he couldn't have done any more with that chance is both nonsense and doing the player a disservice to suggest he can't do better.

 

[Rooney in Paris]

It's also disingenuous to claim it was a sitter.

 

[acnumber9]

It's also disingenuous to claim it was a sitter.

Not if you believe it was. The keeper is out of goal and he's 7 yards out. Until you can give me a dictionary definition of the term and it shows different I'm calling that a sitter. Saying he can't know the defender is there is nonsense. Did he run to goal with his eyes closed?

 

[JPRouve]

Which is fair enough and I wouldn't be surprised if he did. I still think painting a picture of how he couldn't have done any more with that chance is both nonsense and doing the player a disservice to suggest he can't do better.

Honestly you are the one who is exaggerating, top strikers miss occasions like that one every weeks. He missed so what ? I watch Lewandowski every week and he misses chances at every games.
And since Falcao isn't a poacher what is really important is that in the build up he is probably our best striker without being fit or in rythm.

 

[acnumber9]

Honestly you are the one who is exaggerating, top strikers miss occasions like that one every weeks. He missed so what ? I watch Lewandowski every week and he misses chances at every games.
And since Falcao isn't a poacher what is really important is that in the build up he is probably our best striker without being fit or in rythm.

Yes strikers miss sitters. I haven't said any different. I'm saying it's nonsense to suggest he couldn't do better. I don't agree with your last statement at all. Rooney and Van Persie are both better at linking up than what I've seen of Falcao.

 

[legball]

It was a sitter, simple. Strikers miss such chances, it happens. I think he's class and once he gets back to match fitness, he'll be fantastic again. However, the amount it's going to cost to sign him permanently is quite huge, especially considering his age.

 

[Feed Me]

Frustrated is probably the wrong word, I'd say concerned. And thats because in about 6 months time we've got to make a decision on whether to spend £44 million on a (soon to be) 29 year old who, up until now, has failed to get himself fit enough to last a game (not his fault, but still a fact) or put in any performances to justify spending anywhere near that kind of money on him.

Its a huge amount of money for a player who hasn't really been 'world class' since 2013, has suffered his second ACL injury of his career, and is going to be nearing 29 in the Summer. We'd all love him to find that Athletico form again, it would be absolutely fantastic to have a player like that playing for United, but I don't see why its so outrageous to be worried he might not find that form again, and therefore think that £44 million could be spent much more wisely. All season people have been saying, 'oh just wait till he hits form, he'll score so many' and things like that, well its December and he's managed one goal.

No need to be concerned - it's not a loan with a compulsory purchase clause. If he doesn't do the business, we won't buy him.

 

[Barca84]

Once again it appears that fans are getting impatient again. Despite what we might like to think or what conspiracy theories we want to believe, the simplest explanation is the one that LVG has given, that he has certain fitness standards and he expects players to meet them before he lets them play full matches or start.

Falcao, despite his stellar reputation, did undergo a major injury and more niggly ones over here. Why are some fans getting frustrated? We can recognize the need for playing into form with Rooney for example, so why are people upset that Falcao isn't firing on all cylinders with only the handful of minutes he has played.

You answered your questions in your opening sentence.

Impatient and demanding fans. If he scores next week all is well with them. If not he remains not good enough.

 

[Sarni]

Has anyone else found his all round play better than expected so far BTW? I always had him down as a poacher but he's shown some silky skills not related to scoring in his short time here.

 

[Barca84]

Has anyone else found his all round play better than expected so far BTW? I always had him down as a poacher but he's shown some silky skills not related to scoring in his short time here.

Yeh me. He looks really good technically and seems to have a great awareness. Looks a real team player to my mind.

I think he can propel us back to the top to be honest. Supremely talented and hard working.

 

[JPRouve]

I always had him down as a poacher

Out of curiosity what made you think that ? You are not the only one who thought that and even Ballague described him like that when he is closer to a Lewandowski type of striker.