If recent reports in the Echo are to believed, Sevilla forward Carlos Bacca has become our top forward target this summer, with Aston Villa’s £32.5m rated Christian Benteke proving too expensive.
But who is Bacca, and if we agree to meet his mooted £21.5m release clause, what would he bring to Anfield?
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Background:
Bacca is another of football’s late bloomers. Aged 19, Bacca was financing himself by working as a bus driver’s assistant alongside his deal with Atletico Junior, and it was only a loan spell at Baranquilla and then Minerven in Venezuela that saw him play first-team football. Eventually Bacca found himself selected for Atletico Junior however, and in three years from 2009 to 2011, he plundered 73 goals in 130 appearances. Aged 24, he finally earned a move to Europe, and Club Brugge were the beneficiaries. A brilliant campaign in 2012/13 in which he notched 28 goals saw Sevilla bring him to a major league, and the rest, as they say, is history. He’s now 28, and a double Europa League winner with Sevilla.
Position and characteristics:
Bacca is an out and out centre-forward, and nothing else. While Daniel Sturridge likes to drift wide to collect possession and rumoured target Alexandre Lacazette is also comfortable on the left – Bacca does all his best work in the middle. He doesn’t drop deep in search of the ball, and can often go unnoticed until presented with chances. When he is, he’s usually lethal. Bacca is hard-working in terms of the runs he makes, but don’t expect him to track back or dive into tackles. In al almost old-fashioned manner, the South American does his best work in the penalty box, which should be not be considered detrimental.
Statistics:
Absolutely outstanding, in fairness. Bacca has hit 20 goals or more in all competitions on five different occasions during his nine season career. At Sevilla he scored 21 times in all competitions during his debut season, then 28 last, including 20 in La Liga – only bettered by Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Antoine Griezmann and Neymar. He also registered nine assists in 2014/15, outlining his ability to hold up the ball and bring teammates into play. Interestingly, Bacca isn’t especially shot happy for such a prolific forward, which outlines his finishing skills. He averaged only 1.9 shots per game in La Liga, which pales in comparison to Mario Balotelli (3.7) and Daniel Sturridge (3.3).
Courtesy of WhoScored.
Strengths:
As hinted at in the stats section, Bacca is simply lethal in front of goal. He’s a poacher with technical ability – and in terms of natural finishing ability – he’s better than anything we currently have. The Colombian can finish with right or left, but scored all of his goals last season inside the penalty area. He’s not rapid, but his movement and ability to get off powerful shots quickly more than makes up for it. Bacca’s decision making is equally impressive. He knows when to shoot and when to lay the ball off to an opponent. The forward doesn’t go missing in big games, either. He notched a brace in the Europa League final versus Dnipro, and also bagged tie deciding goals against Borussia Monchengladbach and Zenit on the road to the final.
Weaknesses:
Although Bacca can bring others into play, his passing is poor. He only completed 67% of those attempted last season. He also gets caught offside often, as he knows he has to get a yard on his opponent as his pace isn’t blistering. Because of his penchant for waiting in the area for chances, when his teams are struggling for possession, he can go missing – but this is the case for all but the world’s very best strikers to be fair. Bacca speaks no English, so it could take him time to bed in, but neither did Luis Suarez or Coutinho when they signed for Liverpool.
How would he fit in at Liverpool:
Bacca is most used to playing as a centre-forward in a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1, so he’s comfortable as a lone striker. Daniel Sturridge flourished when partnered with Luis Suarez and less so without the departed Uruguayan, meaning Bacca could become the natural choice should Brendan Rodgers favour one of these formations. There’s a chance of course that Rodgers could choose to field two forwards, meaning Bacca would act as a foil for a more marauding and positionally flexible Sturridge. Bacca needs a regular supply line though, so Coutinho, Adam Lallana and whoever else is deployed in attacking midfield will have to always have their heads up in order to spot his runs. Overlapping fullbacks should be happy to whip in crosses as well, as Bacca can head a ball superbly.
