Falcao watch: Manchester United star starts but fails to shine against QPR

Posted Sunday, January 18, 2015 by Talksport.co.uk

Much has been made of Radamel Falcao's future at Manchester United over the last few weeks.

The on-loan striker was reportedly frustrated with his omission from the squad in last weekend's Premier League defeat to Southampton, but an injury to Robin Van Persie saw the Colombian return to the starting line-up against Queens Park Rangers on Saturday.

Red Devils boss Louis van Gaal has called for Falcao to prove himself, with a £43million permanent switch still on the table when his loan stay from Monaco expires at the end of the season.

But this was another forgettable performance from the forward, who has netted just three goals since arriving on transfer deadline day, as an uninspired United scraped a 2-0 victory.

Check out our breakdown of Falcao's performance, and comment below if you think he is or isn't worth a full-time move to Old Trafford.

Shooting:

Had a great chance to give United the lead early on – arguably their best of a drab opening half – latching onto Juan Mata's dinked ball over the top and flashing a first-time effort towards goal, but his nicely-struck volley was straight at Rangers goalkeeper Rob Green.

He attempted to follow up Green's parry with a second attempt but was crowded out by QPR's defenders, as Falcao struggled to find space in dangerous areas.

After the break he had another glaring opportunity, finding space in the box for perhaps the first time in the game and being found at the back-post by an inswinging Angel di Maria cross, but his header was denied by a brilliant reaction save from the Rs goalkeeper.

A player of his quality simply had to score, though, as he could only tamely divert his header towards goal when any amount of power would have surely secured the opener.

A few chances came his way in the closing stages but twice he missed from close-range, first denied what would have been a simple open goal tap-in by Steven Caulker's crucial last-ditch interception, and then failing to get a touch on another whipped cross into the box with an attempted diving header.

Movement:

When outside the box there was a lack of it from the Colombian who, instead of looking to cause the QPR back-four problems with clever runs into the area, seemed to want his United team-mates to put it on a plate for him.

However, such is his prowess in the box that it's a tactic that has clearly worked in a prolific career.

In previous teams, though – at a creative Porto and Atletico Madrid – he's had the service, something which is lacking in this underperforming Man United side.

They boast a host of world-class attacking talent but, rather than keep it on the floor, often looked for long balls into the box, perhaps eager to tap into Falcao's unquestionable quality in the air.

Daley Blind, who provided the assist for Robin van Persie's Puskas Award-nominated diving header at the World Cup, again looked to whip in a number of dangerous crosses for the head of Falcao, but the former Atletico Madrid man struggled to battle with QPR's towering defenders throughout.

Build-up play:

The Colombian was deployed alongside Di Maria up front but operated more as a lone frontman as the game went on, with the Argentine drifted in and out of position.

When in deep positions he did link-up nicely with the likes of Di Maria, Juan Mata and Wayne Rooney, but was often let down by his team-mates on the reply.

Falcao's role seemed to transform into target-man in the second half, and in that sense he did well to hold up the ball on occasion, though that did limit his ability to drop back and aid the team.

Verdict:

It was a quiet game overall from the 28-year-old, who is undoubtedly a threat in the area but must do more from now until the end of the season to prove he's worth splashing the cash in the summer.

It's easy to forget, however, that this is the Columbian star's first prolonged taste of English football, and that he spent the entire summer on the sidelines.

So, despite failing to find his form so far for the Red Devils, there is definitely a sense that, after putting his recent injury woes behind him, the best is still to come.