El Tigre (Spanish for The Tiger) may have had a disappointing season at Man United last time round. But any manager with sense will be able to utilise the Columbian’s excellent striking skills and give Falcao the opportunity to become a deadly scorer once again.
LVG didn’t seem to appreciate the striker’s potency. Falcao, 29, earned a reputation as one of the most dangerous strikers in world football during spells in Portugal, Spain and France where he was used to being an automatic starter, and tactics were often based around him to suit his game. Instead LVG would chop and change his team and the tactics almost weekly and at times played without wingers causing the team to lose width on the park and Falcao had to adapt his game and to come deeper to get the ball. That meant he wasn't able to find enough space to convert chances or even create them. LVG never really gave him a decent run in the team either. When a player is in and out of the team and playing in different formations it is hard to get any sort of momentum.Perhaps that is why he only scored 4 goals for the Red Devils. Van Persie would also run into the same spaces as Radamel, they were far too alike to play together. Surely a coach of LVG’s standing would have understood this fact before signing him on loan from Monaco?
Chelsea know all about Falcao’s ability. In 2012 a virtuoso display by Falcao stunned the then European champions with a superb hat-trick to help Atletico Madrid win 4-1 in UEFA Super Cup in Monaco. The man has always been a goal scorer.
With Porto he scored 41 goals in 51 appearances between 2009 and 2011. He received the Portuguese Golden Ball award, becoming the first Colombian to do so. He set a new goal scoring record of 17 goals in 14 games during the 2010–11 UEFA Europa League, surpassing Jürgen Klinsmann's previous record of 15 goals as Porto beat Portuguese rivals Braga in the final. Atletico paid a whopping £35million for Radamel to fill the void left by Sergio Aguero’s departure to Man City in August 2011. He quickly settled into life in the Spanish Primera and scored an impressive 52 goals in 68 games. In his first three seasons in European football, Falcao scored over 100 goals. That in itself is extraordinary, but he also inspired Atletico to win the 2013 Coppa Del Rey final with victory over Arch-rivals Real Madrid.
Mourinho vowed to help Radamel reach this world beating level again and plans on making him one of the world’s most feared strikers. They share the same agent, Jorge Mendes, and have the mutual respect of each other’s abilities to make it work. He won’t be left out to dry like he was at Man Utd and Jose knows to use him as a classic centre forward, the way he loves to play. It is what Drogba did for the team.
Falcao will also be teaming up with Diego Costa once again, they were successful at Atletico and with other superstars in the Chelsea ranks like Eden Hazard, Terry, Courtois, Fabregas and Willian they are surely one of the favourites if anyone is to topple Barcelona and win the Champions League. If Mourinho can provide Falcao with the time and opportunity we really are in for a treat in English football this season. I was blown away watching him destroy Chelsea in 2012 and I reckon he will be doing that to defences in the coming weeks. Bring on El Tigre.
Source: DSG
