What will Radamel Falcao's arrival at Manchester United mean for Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie and Juan Mata?
As Radamel Falcao prepares to make his Manchester United debut against Queens Park Rangers at Old Trafford on Sunday, Adam Bate looks at what the signing could mean for the other big-name forwards at the club...
By Adam Bate
If Manchester United are eliminated from the FA Cup at the first time of asking in January, the club will play just 40 matches this season. Even if they manage to win that competition, they are set to contest the fewest number of games in a campaign since 1981/82.
That was Ron Atkinson’s first year in charge at Old Trafford and United legend Bryan Robson was still a Hawthorns hero at West Bromwich Albion when the season started. The point is clear – this is unfamiliar territory for the club so don’t expect the old rules to apply.
United supporters are savvier than most when it comes to squad rotation. Speaking at Soccerex only this week, former player Phil Neville asserted that it was Sir Alex Ferguson who introduced the concept to this country. And yet, the current struggles mean there is little call for it right now.
In the 116 days between the closure of the summer transfer window and Christmas Day, United play just 13 matches. That’s around a match every nine days. With Louis van Gaal surely anxious to focus on the cohesion that can come from a settled side, getting into the first XI is going to be more important than ever. So what does the signing of Radamel Falcao mean for the big names?
Van Gaal’s 3-5-2 system came to be seen as some sort of damascene conversion – the scales falling from his eyes as Kevin Strootman’s body packed in and a rejig of the Netherlands World Cup formation was deemed necessary.
And while it’s true that but for the occasional dalliance this was a man who had spent two decades wedded to 4-3-3, in reality it was the same principles of pragmatism that have led Van Gaal to believe three at the back is a legitimate option at Old Trafford as well.
Not only was there an inexperienced back-line in need of safety in numbers but the presence of Robin van Persie, Wayne Rooney and Juan Mata – three big earners on contracts to 2016 and beyond - lent itself to a forward trio set up in such a way.
The 4-3-3 formation would have effectively pushed two of the star men away from their favoured positions, while a flat 4-4-2 would have left Juan Mata in limbo. As it is, the arrival of another forward of the stature of Falcao could have the same effect.
Collision course
he Colombian is certain to be used as a central striker and Van Persie is at an age where those early forays down the left channel feel a lifetime ago. Consequently, that would seem to leave Rooney on a collision course with Mata for that No 10 position. One role, two very different players.
Both Rooney and Mata boast impressive records that would indicate this is a choice to relish. They are the only two players to hit double figures for Premier League assists in two of the last three seasons. However, it is difficult to imagine two men who would interpret the role so differently.
There is Mata with his slow-motion scurrying, all finesse and touch, coaxing movement from others with angled passes and vision. Then there is Rooney, that powerful presence, the bull in the china shop who nevertheless has the quality to end up clutching the Ming vase at the end of it.
Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville asserted at the time of his signing that Mata was not a good fit for United. And while acknowledging the fact that Angel di Maria’s pace will help the Spaniard, it seems that those at United could be set to reach the same conclusions Jose Mourinho arrived upon at Chelsea - build the team around him as a No 10 or ship him out.
The guile with which Mata could slow down a game in Chelsea blue made sense amid the pace of their attack. Like an old-style Argentine enganche, he provided the pause before the frenzy with his measured passes for runners. Too often at United that can just feel one-paced instead.
Rooney offers more flexibility and even has the potential to play deeper in midfield, but it would be a curious move after Van Gaal has spent much of pre-season encouraging a more advanced role. With the captaincy on Rooney’s shoulders, the prospect of being shifted around in order to get a game - a utility man filling the gaps when others are unavailable – is unlikely to appeal.
Of course, in football these problems sometimes fail to emerge and with the suspicions surrounding Van Persie’s 31-year-old frame refusing to go away, injuries could yet cloud the issue. Even so, with the visit of Chelsea in October and games against Manchester City and Arsenal the following month, we will have our answers before too long.
After all, whether the season lasts 40 games or 60, those are the fixtures where ‘rotation’ mutates into ‘dropped’ – as Rooney famously found out in Ferguson’s final Champions League game in charge against Real Madrid.
How Manchester United would relish more of those calibre of contests in the calendar now. In the meantime, the likes of Rooney, Mata and Van Persie find themselves in the same position as the rest of us… Waiting to discover what the arrival of Radamel Falcao means for their futures. The visit of Queens Park Rangers on Sunday could be the first act in a compelling drama.