Chelsea manager Mourinho expresses confidence in Falcao

Chelsea Manager Jose Mourinho said expressed confidence in his recent acquisition Radamel Falcao saying the Colombian has the ability to change the game.

Falcao struggled to impress during a similar spell at Manchester United last season, but Mourinho has great faith in a player who will wear the number nine shirt for Chelsea.

“I am very happy with his first week. I like him a lot as a player. The team can play very well with a striker of his quality,” he said.

The Chelsea manager noted that the Colombian is not just a player who can score goals but also contribute a lot in the quality of the game.

He said he could adopt a two-pronged attack with Colombian Radamel Falcao offering more options for the coming season after joining on loan from Monaco.

“In the last 20 minutes against Barcelona in last week’s friendly we played with Loic Remy and Falcao,” Mourinho said.

“Falcao came on and suddenly the team was direct and objective. They closed the lines and played in the opposition half. Falcao held the ball up very well.

Diego Costa shouldered most of the striking burden last season as a lone striker in a 4-2-3-1 system, but laboured after an explosive start.

Loic Remy offers pace and width but Falcao, Mourinho believes, could play in tandem with either.

Falcao only joined up with his new teammates in New York where Chelsea drew 2-2 with Barcelona in a friendly.

The striker is expected to play a role in Sunday’s Community Shield against Arsenal with Diego Costa a slight injury doubt.