Falcao the Red?

Ups and downs in Football are a given, but these things been quite bizarre for Liverpool in recent times. Just when they were on the cusp of hauling the Premiership from Manchester to Liverpool, captain Gerrard lets slip( talk about irony), and Liverpool’s agonizing wait for silverware continues. Just when fans and team alike were gearing up to build on the groundswell of confidence and creativity that had taken root in the team comes a rather nasty bite (pun entirely intended) from Fortune, and talismanic striker Luis Suarez goes from saviour to pariah at the drop of a hat, and subsequently crosses the Atlantic following stiff English finger wagging and nose turning. The fact that the Uruguayan had signed a 200,000 pound a week four and a half year deal barely 6 months back is completely inconsequential. 

Liverpool’s 2013-14 season was a stark contrast to their 2012-13 campaign which was marked by a lack of confidence and creativity. Rahim Sterling and Daniel Sturridge brought to the team sheer pace and deftness, and alongwith Gerrard, Coutinho, Henderson and their talismanic striker Suarez produced performances that were bustling with creativity and intent, truly a treat to watch. Sturridge developed a lethal partnership with Suarez, the famed SAS duo, and outsmarted the rival defence at will with élan. Suarez’s exit has therefore left a huge void in Liverpool’s scheme of things, and while its very early days to say that the development has jeopardized Liverpool’s 2014-15 campaign, it certainly has left a few concerned faces in its wake.

Liverpool have had a rather busy transfer season, signing 7 players over the summer , but Brendan Rodgers still finds himself in the transfer market on the lookout for a striker, a quality one at that. While a few names have been linked with a move to Anfield(Loic Remy,  Edinson Cavani), one option that has caught the imagination of the closely observing public is Columbian Radamel Falcao’s move from Monaco to Liverpool. The striker is regarded to be among the world’s best, and has often lived up to this reputation, enjoying a sterling stint with Atletico Madrid where he scored liberally, netting 52 goals and also picking up the Europa Legue in the process. His move to Monaco has not quite worked out the way he would have wanted it, he has not quite found his goal scoring form in France, and injuries have also played spoilsport.  Should a move to Liverpool materialize, Falcao could well be the perfect replacement for Suarez, in terms of quality, star power and experience, traits that are sorely needed while playing in the Champions League.

But the question is, will Falcao fit into the Liverpool way of football?  He is an out and out centre forward, and while Suarez could play both central and wide, that would be a luxury that Rodgers would not get with Falcao. That would have been fine, but for the fact that Daniel Sturridge, Suarez’s explosive strike partner from last season also prefers centre forward. While Liverpool have in the last season played with two centre forwards in front of a midfield diamond consisting of Coutinho, Gerrard ,Henderson, and Allen, but the presence of new signings Lallana and Markovic means that such an arrangement would be difficult this season.

Brendan Rodgers has stated that though he definitely needs a no 9 to help with the new campaign and the added pressure of the Champions League, he will not go in for panic buys, and will bide his time till a suitable option presents itself. That is clear indication that he is on the lookout for someone of the calibre of the departed Uruguayan and Falcao seems to be the only option that answers that description perfectly, whether the dotted line is signed or not is a totally different matter altogether.