Falcao is latest ‘flop’ with axe to grind
ADNAN JANUZAJ had a big smile on his face and it wasn’t only the experience of his first international goal that caused it. It wasn’t just what he’d done, but who he did it to that made him happy.
England. The English. The country that had judged him not good enough. How do you like me now, he seemed to be asking, after inflicting the first competitive defeat of the Gareth Southgate era.
He isn’t the first, and might not be the last to return to extract revenge. Mario Balotelli, Luis Suarez, even Cristiano Ronaldo — all have turned in match-winning performances against England in recent tournaments, motivated by a sense of injustice.
Balotelli was mocked as a loon, Suarez as a cheat — although he was also voted Footballer of the Year — while Ronaldo was initially considered a show pony.
One by one they demolished these presumptions. On Tuesday, England will face a Colombian team that will almost certainly include Radamel Falcao and Juan Cuadrado — two players who may also feel they need to correct a few English misconceptions about their abilities.
‘In the past, in England, I had a lot of criticism,’ said Januzaj. ‘My job was to show the people that I’m here, and I’m very happy I did that with a great goal.’
He most certainly did, although this doesn’t mean the judgments were entirely wrong.
JanuzaJ was lauded as one of the best young players in the Premier League when he first emerged at Manchester united, lost his way under Louis van Gaal, alienated Jose Mourinho and ended up unable to get a game on loan at doomed Sunderland.
at his best in England, he was an outstanding prospect; but those days did not last anywhere near as long as had been imagined.
Similarly, Falcao’s arrival at Manchester united was greeted with enormous excitement. This was one of Europe’s great strikers, albeit on loan initially, but rated highly enough to command £285,000-a-week.
Yet it was also a player only recently recovered from a cruciate knee ligament injury, trying to plot a path back at elite level.
‘Falcao’s problem,’ said his manager at Monaco, Leonardo Jardim, ‘wasn’t just his knee, but the fact he played two seasons in Manchester and then at Chelsea.
‘He tried to carry on playing at a high level even though, when you have an injury like that, you normally stay at your club in order to come back more quickly. It’s not easy to recuperate and play at the same time.’
Certainly not in the competitive
maelstrom of the English Premier League. Falcao only started 14 Premier League games for Manchester United and Mourinho was so distressed by the decline of a great player, he vowed to save Falcao’s career by bringing him to Chelsea.
Ultimately, he couldn’t even save his own, and was sacked before Christmas, while Falcao started one league game before returning to Monaco.
Visitors to the training ground recall his lonely figure circling the perimeter on endless runs in a bid to rediscover his explosive pace and movement.
Yet while it was impossible in that time to read a headline about Falcao that did not also include the word ‘flop’, his contemporaries liked him.
He was a very popular figure at Manchester United where the players felt he worked very hard and had no superstar airs in his interactions in the dressing room — and team-mates at Chelsea would vouch for his quality in training, even if it was not converted to opportunities on the pitch.
‘He had a hard time in England,’ said England and Chelsea defender Gary Cahill, ‘but clearly, outside of our country, he’s scored many, many goals.
‘We were on the end of one performance, in the UEFA Super Cup against Atletico Madrid, so we know what he is like. It showed his character when he went back to Monaco to find his form again and now he’s a huge player for them and a proven goalscorer.
‘I’m sure a big part of the problem at Chelsea was confidence. He had that spell at Manchester United, then he came to us and was short of sharpness both times.
‘I suppose in his eyes, it’s history now that he has rediscovered his form. He’s key for Monaco — he’s been banging in goals for them ever since.
‘With us, it was a bit stop-start. Sometimes, you don’t get loads of opportunities, you’re in for one or two games, then out or not on for the full 90, and that was probably his frustration — he never really got up and running, he never had a good spell to find form.
‘But everyone knew his ability. He’s tricky in the box, he likes to come off the shoulder and he’s a good finisher. If he gets half a chance, we saw in training that he normally hits the target.’
That was certainly the case on August 31, 2012, when Falcao scored a 39-minute hat-trick to claim the UEFA Super Cup for Atletico Madrid with a 4-1 win against Chelsea in Monaco.
Cahill was in opposition that day — and John Stones was playing for Manchester City when Falcao scored twice for Monaco in an away Champions League leg, including a brilliantly taken chip.
Against all expectations, Monaco knocked City out on away goals in the return.
Even if Falcao and England wasn’t personal, a whiff of the triumphalist mood back home might raise a few eyebrows, not to mention hackles, in the Colombian camp.
Curious over-confidence has followed what was a mediocre performance in defeat to Belgium. This is based on the idea that by coming second, England have been diverted to the ‘easy’ half of the draw.
Try telling Colombia that they are stepping stones for Southgate and his players to skip over as they march to greater glory.
One back page had Southgate pointing, beneath the headline ‘This way to the Final’. That Colombia might have something to say about that seems not to have been considered.
Another lauded the players for losing, with the message: ‘Well done, lads!’
And while there may be an ironic benefit in defeat, ducking a potential meeting with Brazil in the quarter-finals, it is arrogantly presumptuous to consider that Colombia are cannon fodder for a rested England starting XI.
As Harry Maguire pointed out, were it not for the third-minute dismissal of midfielder Carlos Sanchez Moreno against Japan, Colombia would probably have topped Group H with a maximum nine points.
In defeating Senegal they have overcome an opponent far stronger than any England have faced, considering Belgium played a second XI.
They also have a 6ft 5in centrehalf in Yerry Mina plus Davinson Sanchez at the back, so are likely to be less susceptible to England’s set-pieces, as meticulously planned as they may be.
So there are considerable caveats to set against the good cheer. If Southgate hoped to be given a selection dilemma by the performances of individuals in his second string against Belgium, for instance, he will have been frustrated.
Trent AlexanderArnold certainly had a good full debut, but is not equal to Kieran Trippier at deadball deliveries. Danny Rose was doing well, until turned inside out by Januzaj for the goal. The back three were solid without really threatening the first choices and those ahead were disappointing.
Having seen Eric Dier as England’s pivot, there is now greater respect for Jordan Henderson in the role; having seen Marcus Rashford waste chances, the clamour to leave out Raheem Sterling might subside. Fabian Delph is no Jesse Lingard, Jamie Vardy no Harry Kane.
Indeed, some of those who played may consider themselves hard done by. Might Vardy have looked better with some of England’s first choice midfielders in support?
Brian Clough never forgot that when his son, Nigel, finally got a chance in an England shirt he was paired with John Fashanu in an experiment, not with one of England’s front-line goalscorers.
Unsurprisingly, he failed to impress. Clough senior never quite forgave Bobby Robson for that.
Equally, the rest of the world now knows England’s best XI. Southgate gave it away more conclusively that any snooping reporter or photographer.
England, barring injury or suspension, are the team that started the tournament and recorded that 2-1 victory over Tunisia. What lies beneath is very much second best.
So there it is. Plain sailing from here, apparently. Falcao will surely be just as we remember him, Chelsea reject Cuadrado, too.
A nation that has won a single World Cup knockout game since defeating Denmark in 2002 is heading inexorably for triumph. What could possibly go wrong?
There is, however, one rather disquieting thought. Ever considered that Colombia might think they are in the easy part of the draw, too?