Javier Hernandez | 2012/13 Performances

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Chicha keen to play his part

You’re getting lots of game time and playing alongside the likes of Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney – are you enjoying yourself this season?

I am very happy. I am enjoying playing a lot and I just want to be ready when the manager wants to put me on the pitch. It’s true, it’s great to play alongside Robin, Wazza, and Danny too. But when you train and play with world-class players you also must have the best possible attitude to gain everything you can from playing alongside them. It’s easier to improve when you’re surrounded by good players – and this club has many good players.

What in particular are you learning from those players?

Every striker and every player has something they bring to the team, but Robin and Wazza are complete players. They have certain attributes that are better than others, of course, but the reason they are so good is because they do everything so well – touch, movement, passing, finishing. It’s easy to learn from them because it’s so obvious how good they are. They are two of the best strikers in the world.

You’re not doing too badly. You’ve scored 12 goals this season, eight of which have come in the last 30 minutes of matches. What’s the secret?

I really don’t know. But if you look at Robin, he scores late goals too: Southampton, Liverpool, Manchester City, West Ham… they were all late goals. If you looked at the stats of strikers at this club, past and present, I imagine they will have scored a lot of late goals. It’s the mentality of this club that you never give up because you always have time to make a difference. If we are losing 2-0, or even 3-0, in your mind you think, ‘If we get one, we’ll get two. If we get two, we can get a third’. It’s about belief. Against Newcastle we kept going behind but we always believed we would come back, and at 3-3 we knew we could win. We got the goal and it was a great feeling. My goals late in games are more about the club than me. It’s in our history and the gaffer always tells us: never give up, always fight until the end. I love that about Manchester United. It’s a totally different feeling. A great feeling. You may prefer to win 2-0, but the atmosphere in late victories is incredible. It gives you great satisfaction, and the other team doesn’t have time to react. But the most important thing is that we win.

Four of your goals this season have been winners. You’ve got a reputation now…

A little bit… [smiles] No, I don’t like to talk about myself like that. If I score a goal then it is a consequence of the efforts of the team. We are strikers, we are the nearest players to the goal and you can say it’s our job to score. But strikers have to give more to the team – you can help dictate the rhythm and tempo of the team’s play, provide assists, help defensively. I am happy that I have 13 goals this season. I still count the one at Aston Villa – I have the match ball at home. Officially it’s 12 but, for me, it’s 13. Robin van Persie has 20 goals already and is playing really well and the whole team are happy that we are scoring, but there are other departments in which we need to improve.

Where specifically?

Well, we’d like to concede fewer goals but it’s not fair to say the forwards are doing well but the defence needs to improve. As a striker, I consider myself to be the first defender when I play. The first attackers are the defenders and goalkeeper. So we take credit and criticism for both areas together. And we will improve together. Every player at this club is clear about that. Are you pleased with the position the team is currently in? Yes, but it’s a long season. The most important thing is that we are seven points in front in the league and we are through to the Champions League knockout stages because last season we didn’t do that. We also have a chance to progress in the FA Cup. Like I said at the start of the season, my biggest dream here is to win the Treble. Some people might say it is impossible, but I think anything is possible here.

Fans’ questions

Are you the fastest player at United? - Christian Gore, via Facebook

I don’t know. It’s difficult to say yes. In training players like Nani, Antonio Valencia, Danny Welbeck and Wayne Rooney are all very fast. I don’t know if I am the fastest but I think I am one of the quickest – maybe I’m in the top five! We need to have a race.

How did it feel to be named Mexican Athlete of the Year? - Neema Nabavian, via Facebook

I didn’t know that! If that’s true then I am very happy. In my country in the last couple of years sport has really improved. In the Olympics we got more medals than we are used to winning and we won the Gold medal in the football. In Boxing we have many good athletes. I wouldn’t want to leave someone out by naming all the other Mexican athletes I admire, there are many. Individual honours and prizes are great but without my team-mates or the club I couldn’t do it.
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http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-F...B2B74199-F770-4AB3-9FC3-B6BA03355EFB&pageNo=3

As always, brilliant interview.
 
verminater said:
It wasn't just going too soon, Chicharito was offside to start with (negating the early ball), and sometimes, never got back on.
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If you watch his play, he's a striker that will gamble on the first pass being played, but then will be offside for the second pass. He relies on the thought that as long as the midfielder doesn't hesitate with the pass then he'll be through on goal. Personally, I'd much rather have a striker like that who, if he can beat the offside, will be through on goal as opposed to a striker who relies on the ball being played first before making his run.
 
Joemo said:
If you watch his play, he's a striker that will gamble on the first pass being played, but then will be offside for the second pass. He relies on the thought that as long as the midfielder doesn't hesitate with the pass then he'll be through on goal. Personally, I'd much rather have a striker like that who, if he can beat the offside, will be through on goal as opposed to a striker who relies on the ball being played first before making his run.
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You've just described the polar-opposite to the way he played last night.
I don't know if it comes across the same on TV, but I sit on the halfway line, and it was very frustrating to watch.
 
He's simply a goal machine. For the amount of games he's taken part in this season, his return is very impressive whatever way you look at it.
 
Chico's two goals were just reward for his tireless running and continued willingness to work the line. At half time I felt sorry for the guy he was constantly trying to exploit the space in the Fulham back line but the ball simply wasn't reaching him, in fact it was going nowhere near him. We were playing such a dry game that at that point I thought it'd be worth taking him off and putting on another defender as we seemed clearly in no mood to win anything more than 1-0! Once we started attacking though he was always going to come into his own. He's always on the move, looking for where the ball may be or where it may bounce and his quickness of feet and thought mean if we just keep playing enough passes into the penalty box eventually he'll find a way to one to stab it home. Assassin. Passed his total for the whole of 2011/12 today and its still January...
 
ISSYNAZAR said:
I really don't see why people have to throw in Welbeck in the Hernandez thread.

Back to Hernandez...Really hope he gets to 25 goals, wonderful milestone for him.
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I agree, it's creating unnecessary arguments between the fan-boys too.
 
Hernandez is just outstanding!

Rooney, Van Persie and Hernandez have got to be the best 3 strikers we have had at this club at one time haven't they? At the very least the best since Yorke, Cole and Solskjaer.
 
Hernandez is an amazing player...think he will play more games now with the CL and the FA Cup run we are having...

We need to use RVP carefully....our cheat card. btw did anyone see his smug expression after Chcho scored his second? love the man.
 
LawCharltonBest said:
Hernandez is just outstanding!

Rooney, Van Persie and Hernandez have got to be the best 3 strikers we have had at this club at one time haven't they? At the very least the best since Yorke, Cole and Solskjaer.
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It's bloody close isn't it.


If I had to score them to get an idea of which is a better set of strikers I would say:

13':
RVP: 90/100
Rooney: 88/100
Hernandez: 82/100
Welbeck: 78/100

Total: 338/400

99':
Yorke: 88/100
Cole: 86/100
Solskjaer: 85/100
Sheringham: 80/100

Total: 339/400


Not a lot in it :cool:
 
LawCharltonBest said:
Hernandez is just outstanding!

Rooney, Van Persie and Hernandez have got to be the best 3 strikers we have had at this club at one time haven't they? At the very least the best since Yorke, Cole and Solskjaer.
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Not for me. It's close.

For argument's sake, if Ronaldo is included in the comparison, I'd have Ronaldo, Rooney and Tevez over that marginally.

Best in Europe at the moment IMO though which is a huge credit to the club.
 
He gets better with every game. It's amazing. He doesn't necessarily need a run of games to gain confidence in his game. Just a goal will do it. He wouldn't have tried what he did for the second goal in seasons past.

Pleased with the work he's doing. He's going to be some player in a year or two.
 
Poxbo said:
It's bloody close isn't it.


If I had to score them to get an idea of which is a better set of strikers I would say:

13':
RVP: 90/100
Rooney: 88/100
Hernandez: 82/100
Welbeck: 78/100

Total: 338/400

99':
Yorke: 88/100
Cole: 86/100
Solskjaer: 85/100
Sheringham: 80/100

Total: 339/400


Not a lot in it :cool:
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Pfft, Welbeck is at least a 79.
 
Neither was Yorke an out and out striker. He had 18 league goals with plenty of assists and crucial moments like the one in the semi against Juve. His impact that season is getting a bit underestimated here. Rooney this season hasn't quite been at the same level Yorke was back then.
 
I have this nagging feeling that Chicha might be tempted away by the promise of more money and playing time elsewhere. With his performances, he can't be content with just playing in cup matches.
 
dhstriker said:
I have this nagging feeling that Chicha might be tempted away by the promise of more money and playing time elsewhere. With his performances, he can't be content with just playing in cup matches.
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I don't.

I just don't see him as that type. He seems to always look happy and his interviews always gives off the impression that he really appreciates playing for us, starter or not. His attitude is fantastic and hasn't shown any signs of changing since he's arrived here.
 
Brightonian said:
His attitude is so perfect it's starting to creep me out a little. Someone photograph him with a hooker, quick!
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I heard she's an porn actress, Ashley Young. Good lad is our Ashley,
 
Poxbo said:
It's bloody close isn't it.


If I had to score them to get an idea of which is a better set of strikers I would say:

13':
RVP: 90/100
Rooney: 88/100
Hernandez: 82/100
Welbeck: 78/100

Total: 338/400

99':
Yorke: 88/100
Cole: 86/100
Solskjaer: 85/100
Sheringham: 80/100

Total: 339/400


Not a lot in it :cool:
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You're saying Sheringham was the 'weakest link' in terms of 99s strikers but where we are at the minute....it's not even close. I would say it's more like Sheringham 86 and Welbeck 71. Teddy was a top player, even at Forest a very good goalscorer. Wellbecks problem is his finishing but we all know that. Needs to find goals.
 
AldoRaine18 said:
Neither was Yorke an out and out striker. He had 18 league goals with plenty of assists and crucial moments like the one in the semi against Juve. His impact that season is getting a bit underestimated here. Rooney this season hasn't quite been at the same level Yorke was back then.
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Yorke was outstanding. It's a pity his head got turned.
 
yorke in 1999 was sublime. in terms of individual excellence i would say it is very close to ronaldo's 2006-2008, rvn's 2001-2003 and cantona's mid 90s. pity he could only get close to the height just a season after that, then it all decline quite rapidly.

i would say rooney is still the better player but yorke in 1999 was having a wonderful season. something like wes brown's 2007-08 but doesn't meant he is a better RB than neville ever was.

anyway if welbeck can sort out his finishing then we have a deadly quartet upfront.
 
Would love him to hit the 20 goal mark this season. I know people say about us being a one-man team with RvP, but this little guy hasn't been too bad either.

He's pulled us out some holes this season (Villa, Braga).
 
MUFCgal said:
Would love him to hit the 20 goal mark this season. I know people say about us being a one-man team with RvP, but this little guy hasn't been too bad either.

He's pulled us out some holes this season (Villa, Braga).
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Add Chelsea and Newcastle to that too.

There's literally no other player I'd rather stick on when you're hunting for a late goal.
 
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