"People have very short memories in football", Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho told Clare Balding in an interview on BT Sport over Christmas.

It just takes some shortsighted hyperbole to flare up in the sensationalised tabloids to ignite a twitter storm that quickly exaggerates an opinion or assertion that should never really be attuned to. Then a cross-media outlet takes a satirical spin on it and then it's well and truly embedded in public conscience, as it's been to the abyss of the internet and back again.

It's worrying how quickly opinions can spread through modern technology, how people can have their reputations severed instantly in a subjective manner, without a single coherent thought.

Radamel Falcao, the Colombian striker who's made a slow impact at Manchester United this season, was the victim of the opinion driving media hunt. Within 24 hours of being left out of United's defeat to Southampton there was an explosion of 'analysis' that his time in Manchester was basically redundant.

That's not to deny that that there isn't an aura of disappointment around his impact so far. Injuries have halted his progress and momentum – something that is often crucial to adapt to a new league. He's hardly been able to play consistently since his Atlético days, so it's not that surprising that his immediate impact has been negligible.

Take yourself back to his La Liga days and he was rightfully seen in a different light – he netted 71 times in 90 appearances, leading ex-England manager Fabio Capello to label him as the best player in the world. There's little to doubt about the pedigree of this South American striker.

Perhaps, then, Falcao has joined the wrong club, at the wrong time. If you watch him, he's quite a complete striker – not complete in the sense that he can play any form of role – but more that he's the complete No. 9. He won't drop deep into midfield to help link-up play, or make lateral runs to the flanks to draw defences out of positions.

Instead, he'll stay outright as a 'pure' No. 9. He's 'complete' in that sense because he's two-footed, agile, strong, and an incredible force in the air. Falcao has joined a United team who already have excellent attacking options, and naturally the clauses of his ludicrously expensive contract make his time thus far difficult to justify, especially when he's 28.

While third party ownership is banned in England, he's essentially owned by a court of private investors who flaunt his services around Europe searching for extravagant fees. Placed in the Iberian shop window at Porto – in the same manner as many hot South American prospects are – Falcao's deals thus far make him a poster boy for those looking to make money out of investing in young footballers.

The 'Van Gaalactico's' probably seemed the perfect fit in September when the board in Manchester were after as many big names as possible to re-launch brand United. But now, four months on, the deal is looking less than logical.

And it probably never was. While United and chairman Ed Woodward clearly have money to spend, £43.5m on a 28-year-old striker was always going to be a push. But if you were to believe what you see and hear, the acquisition was doomed for failure as soon as it began, even if many of the same people were championing it at the time.

That's the hysteria that Mourinho and the rest of football's top figures dealing with the media know all too well. In reality, United have in their ranks a world class no.9, who will almost certainly make a very important impact at some point this season. You'd be foolish to write him off so soon, and don't be surprised if he pops up at a crucial time and makes a significant contribution to United's season.

[ad_pod id='ffc-video' align='center']

[ad_pod id='football-friends' align='center']