Why misfiring Man Utd ace would be awful for Liverpool

In a bid to alleviate the disappointment of a desperately poor season, Liverpool are reportedly ready to smash their piggy bank open and invest its innards in temporary Manchester United striker Radamel Falcao.

A smokescreen tactic often deployed to instil a sense of optimism in the aftermath of a morale-sapping campaign, the Reds’ alleged plan to pursue the misfiring Colombian marksman is an ill-conceived one, even when his form at Old Trafford has been removed from the equation.

It’s a move that would indicate the Anfield club have learned absolutely nothing from their previous transfer misdemeanours and it could well result in manager Brendan Rodgers losing his job.

Following their thoroughly deserved FA Cup semi-final reverse against Aston Villa, Liverpool now find themselves tasked with scaling a treacle-covered mountain in roller skates to finish in the top-four.

Currently seven points behind fourth-place incumbents Manchester City, Rodgers’ charges can be backed at 13/2 to land a season-salvaging Champions League spot, but with six wins from their final half-dozen games (four of which are away) surely paramount if they are to achieve the feat, such an eventuality is difficult to envisage.

Assuming this is filed in the Reds’ 2014/15 portfolio of setbacks alongside two domestic semi-final losses, Champions League group-stage elimination and a Europa League first knockout-round exit, moving for Falcao wouldn’t be a clever way to rectify it.

Clearly lethal when on-song, the borrowed Monaco man would cost an absolute fortune.

Man Utd agreed a price of £43.5m with the Ligue 1 side as a transfer fee alone should they wish to turn his loan deal into a permanent one, that’s not taking his astronomical wage demands into consideration.

The potential to make any return on such an exorbitant investment is slim at best given his 29 years and his chances of success on Merseyside are slimmer still.

An inability to break into Louis van Gaal’s first-team suggests Falcao lacks the work ethic and intensity required to play high-tempo football.

Liverpool adopt a similar style, with speed and changeability essential attributes for their final-third operatives to possess.

Phillippe Coutinho, Raheem Sterling, Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge are the four attack-minded players to outshine all others when fulfilling roles in Rodgers’ modus operandi and each boasts these key qualities in abundance.

Falcao is a one-dimensional player, eager to get into the box and pray upon any chances that fall his way.

Mario Balotelli and Rickie Lambert are of similar moulds and their struggles are a direct consequence of their lacking in the aforementioned areas.

Unless a drastic strategic overhaul is being plotted, signing Falcao is utterly pointless.

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