Should Javier Hernandez be content with his current role?

Randall Flagg

Worst of the best
Joined
May 23, 2009
Messages
45,063
Location
Gorey
Would you understand if he did look for a move in the summer?

I see he is linked again to Madrid today, although I think joining them would actually see him in a worse position than he is with us.

But really a player like him should be a regular starter for a top club.

Ole was very patient. But he also had the ability to play on the wing (he played numerous excellent games for us out wide).
 
He is definitely good enough to be first or second choice at a lot of Champions league teams. Is he good enough to start for the European heavyweights? no imo. But football has become a squad game apart from the CL knock outs ( even there injuries & suspensions can test your squad) and his 30-35 games a season means he will get a lot of playing time. No one can begrudge him if he wants a move to get regular first team football. He is such a likable bloke on and off the field it would suck to see him go though.
 
I adore him but don't think he's good enough for Madrid to be honest. He's not consistent enough with his goals over full games to offer enough in the Madrid team.

I think the only way Hernandez could get into another club and play first team football regularly would be if he were to take a step down, however I think he's far too good a player for that. I think in his situation, I would be happy with my current role within the team; the manager largely puts me on when we need a goal and he has said as much, which shows he has confidence in me as a player, I get to play at the top level of football and the fans love me. Of course Hernandez is a professional so his feelings may well be different but I'd hope he wouldn't look for a move elsewhere, I think his place is here for the coming years.
 
If I were Hernandez, I'd have gone this summer. 7 starts in the league isn't going to be improved next season, with RvP and Welbeck will still be ahead of him. Any striker with good ambition shouldn't be the third choice at any club.
 
He's said on numerous occasion that there is no 'up' from here. He has made it. I honestly couldn't see him leaving and wouldn't grudge him if he did.

You never ever hear about him wanting more game time I think he's more in love with the fact that he plays for United than people think.
 
Until he develops his all round game more he should be content with such a role.

That's not to say that his all round game is shit (it isn't) or that it hasn't improved massively since we bought him (it has), but it's still behind Rooney, van Persie and Welbeck. Welbeck and Rooney's versatility and technique mean they can get game time in other positions because van Persie is the top of the heap at the moment. Hernandez doesn't have that going for him.
 
Isotope said:
If I were Hernandez, I'd have gone this summer. 7 starts in the league isn't going to be improved next season, with RvP and Welbeck will still be ahead of him. Any striker with good ambition shouldn't be the third choice at any club.
Click to expand...

Welbeck hasn't been ahead of him, Welbeck has barely played in a striking role all season.

Any striker with ambition would surely want to stay at a club he played in the 2011 Champions League Final for, which has reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup in two of the three seasons he has been at the club for and challenged for the league title in every season he has been at the club since his transfer, winning it twice? No?
 
He's had a pathetic amount of opportunities lately and I would be very surprised if he was happy about it seeing as he's played well this season.
 
I think he would actually start for the top Italian clubs. Best he could get in England is Tottenham, and he would have no chance of a regular spot at Madrid.

If he wants regular football he'll have to move down, if he's content with being a supersub at a big club, he should stay here.
 
I've said this in his thread. I love the lad and as much as I'd like him to stay, I'd completely understand if he wasn't satisfied with the bit part role on offer to him here. He could hardly even get a game when RvP was on a ten game goal scoring drought when he's been prolific and at the time we weren't scoring so many. His performances earlier in the season warranted more game time imo, and people harp on about Falcao and whilst I might agree that Falcao might have more in his locker than Chicharito, had he been given as many starts I think there would be a marginal if any difference in goals scored. There were times when RvP looked jaded and we incessantly played him in every league game and some cup games whilst Hernandez was watching twiddling his thumbs. I don't see why combinations of Rooney, Chicharito and Kagawa couldn't have been utilised at times to give RvP a rest and Hernandez more games. At another club Hernandez would be absolutely prolific imo because he'd get games. In the few games he's got for us this season he's had a massive impact, almost in every game and he's linked up well with whoever he's been partnered with.

I can't see him making too much noise because of his character, he has a lot of respect for SAF and the club but I do wonder if he'd be tempted someone came in for him. It's paper talk but SAF seems to be eying up strikers again and having 5 here would be ridiculous.
 
Yeah I don't think many people can blame him if he wasn't happy. He could be scoring 30 goals a season if he goes to a club where he plays every week. This was the first season where you could say he's been underused though, he won't jump at the first sign of trouble. But if he has another season like this, he should start thinking of other options.
 
SharkyMcShark said:
Until he develops his all round game more he should be content with such a role.

That's not to say that his all round game is shit (it isn't) or that it hasn't improved massively since we bought him (it has), but it's still behind Rooney, van Persie and Welbeck. Welbeck and Rooney's versatility and technique mean they can get game time in other positions because van Persie is the top of the heap at the moment. Hernandez doesn't have that going for him.
Click to expand...

Hernandez, Welbeck and Rooney are all different types of player though and they all offer different things. Playing them should depend on the system as opposed to who is best, for example Welbeck got in the Madrid game ahead of Rooney because he is positionally astute and can play without the ball, without wanting to drop deep in order to receive the ball unlike Rooney.

Hernandez is a lead the line type of attacker who likes to run in behind, he's a natural goal poacher. Unfortunately for him, we couldn't pass up the opportunity to sign the previous season's top goal scorer. That doesn't mean his position becomes untenable though and it takes me back to something Solskjaer said in an interview (from 12:40) earlier in the season: He said during the Tottenham game in '99 at half time, Fergie said to go out and play like we can and not to worry about scoring because if they don't score, he'll put Solskaer on and he'll score. I think the situation and personalities are very similar here.
 
If he's not happy with his current role then he should look to move on. He'll never be a starter for a top side.
 
Carl said:
If he's not happy with his current role then he should look to move on. He'll never be a starter for a top side.
Click to expand...

He was regular in our league winning and CL finalist team of a couple years ago, of course he can be a starter for a top side.
 
Fergus' son said:
He was regular in our league winning and CL finalist team of a couple years ago, of course he can be a starter for a top side.
Click to expand...

And then he was barely involved the season after and has been heavily rotated this.

Most (top) sides throughout Europe play with just 1 forward. He's not good enough to be that forward for the big sides.
 
Carl said:
And then he was barely involved the season after and has been heavily rotated this.

Most (top) sides throughout Europe play with just 1 forward. He's not good enough to be that forward for the big sides.
Click to expand...

Because of strong competition from Welbeck and RVP, fact remains he was a starter in a very successful season for a top side, and he was one of our top performers.

IMO its crazy to say he'll 'never' be a starter for a top side with that, and his age in mind.
 
Fergus' son said:
Because of strong competition from Welbeck and RVP, fact remains he was a starter in a very successful season for a top side, and he was one of our top performers.

IMO its crazy to say he'll 'never' be a starter for a top side with that, and his age in mind.
Click to expand...

Madrid has Higuain and Benzema, what makes you think he'd play ahead of them if you think he struggled to get in ahead of RVP and Welbeck?
 
Fergus' son said:
Because of strong competition from Welbeck and RVP, fact remains he was a starter in a very successful season for a top side, and he was one of our top performers.

IMO its crazy to say he'll 'never' be a starter for a top side with that, and his age in mind.
Click to expand...

Exactly. Top sides have top forwards.

He would be an excellent player for a club just outside of the elite but for a club as huge as ours he'll always be rotated.
 
Carl said:
Exactly. Top sides have top forwards.

He would be an excellent player for a club just outside of the elite but for a club as huge as ours he'll always be rotated.
Click to expand...

Exactly what, plenty of great strikers that are more than capable of playing for top teams come under pressure from other strikers. Look at Mario Gomez.

Do you not consider the length of a season long enough to be considered a starter?
 
That'sHernandez said:
Madrid has Higuain and Benzema, what makes you think he'd play ahead of them if you think he struggled to get in ahead of RVP and Welbeck?
Click to expand...

Because you have to be either Ronaldo or Messi to get in ahead of RvP and Welbeck plays on the wing.

I wasn't referring to Madrid specifically anyway, but yeah I could see him becoming a starter there. He's still young and can improve further but is still extremely effective now.
 
That'sHernandez said:
Madrid has Higuain and Benzema, what makes you think he'd play ahead of them if you think he struggled to get in ahead of RVP and Welbeck?
Click to expand...

He probably said that because its been heavily rumoured at least one of them will be leaving. They've both had so-so seasons. In a team with just two strikers compared to our four I don't see why he wouldn't get way more starts in a season than he can here. Benzema also doesn't have that irreplaceable status that RvP has been given here.
 
Doubted it, he's a very good player for counter attacking type of play, he gave us options, furthermore we're quality from the wing and pace on counter

I can't see him be the one striker role where they dominate play (Madrid, Barca, Muenchen, etc)

He probably won't play well in different teams from us. (mind you he's still good, just most of his strenght won't be utilised well)
 
Sky1981 said:
Doubted it, he's a very good player for counter attacking type of play, he gave us options, furthermore we're quality from the wing and pace on counter

I can't see him be the one striker role where they dominate play (Madrid, Barca, Muenchen, etc)

He probably won't play well in different teams from us. (mind you he's still good, just most of his strenght won't be utilised well)
Click to expand...

I think he'd do excellently at Madrid or Dortmund, I think Barca would play him from the wing and he'd score frequently too.

I think Juventus would make use of him, as well.

The only club I can't really see him fitting into is Bayern tbh.
 
Fergus' son said:
Exactly what, plenty of great strikers that are more than capable of playing for top teams come under pressure from other strikers. Look at Mario Gomez.

Do you not consider the length of a season long enough to be considered a starter?
Click to expand...

Don't you understand? He's under pressure from strikers that are better thus he is rotated. If he's unhappy with that (which will happen at every elite side) then he should move. Which is exactly what I said in my first post on the matter.
 
Hernandez would be a huge upgrade on Higuain for Madrid. His chance conversion rate is sky high and his shot accuracy is ridiculously good, I remember that goal scoring challenge he done when he beat Rooney, the man's lethal.

The myth that he doesn't do well when he starts is ridiculous. He scored within 4 minutes against Chelsea this season (not as quick as 36 seconds mind you but still pretty fast) and he has looked fine in games he's started when we put anywhere near a full team out behind him e.g. Braga (H), Wigan (A), Newcastle (H). The only thing that hamstrings Hernandez is that he's a penalty box player: That means when we don't have control of midfield, as tends to happen when we play our second string, Chico looks less effective.

Domestically the only club Madrid can't dominate in midfield is Barcelona that means Chicharito would get chance after chance after chance, instead of being marooned up front for long periods of time, so he'd score a ton of goals. The idea that Hernandez wouldn't be lethal in that set up, in that league is mad. Chico has between a 25 per cent and 33 per cent chance conversion rate. He'd have a Hugo Sanchez like record!
 
Carl said:
Don't you understand? He's under pressure from strikers that are better thus he is rotated. If he's unhappy with that (which will happen at every elite side) then he should move. Which is exactly what I said in my first post on the matter.
Click to expand...

You said, 'he'll never be a starter for a top side'.

For one, he was a starter for a top side for an entire season in which they won the league and got to the final of the CL. Secondly, he is still young and can improve further, so 'never' and the general assertion, was pretty off the mark.

Theres no shame in playing second fiddle to RVP, the best striker in the world at the peak of his powers and it doesn't mean that he can't be a starter for a top side.

Do you understand?
 
That'sHernandez said:
1. Welbeck hasn't been ahead of him, Welbeck has barely played in a striking role all season.

2. Any striker with ambition would surely want to stay at a club he played in the 2011 Champions League Final for, which has reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup in two of the three seasons he has been at the club for and challenged for the league title in every season he has been at the club since his transfer, winning it twice? No?
Click to expand...

1. Yet, Welbeck would still be ahead of Hernandez as striker option.

2. It would be fine before we bought RvP. And RvP will still be at his peak for about 2 years. It all depends on how ambitious and confident the striker is. Forlan was only behind RvN with us, but left for 'smaller' club to be their main man there.
 
Isotope said:
1. Yet, Welbeck would still be ahead of Hernandez as striker option.

2. It would be fine before we bought RvP. And RvP will still be at his peak for about 2 years. It all depends on how ambitious and confident the striker is. Forlan was only behind RvN with us, but left for 'smaller' club to be their main man there.
Click to expand...

I highly doubt your first point. If you count the amount of appearences both have had this season in that main striker position Hernandez has way more than welbeck despite welbeck playing a lot more games. So clearly he is ahead of welbeck as a striker.
 
He should be clear 3rd choice at a champions league winning squad

Whether thats Rooney to midfield and a new striker or continuing in his current role but playing a bit more often. But it only works out if we win the champions league. He's good enough to be starting for league winners
 
Randall Flagg said:
Would you understand if he did look for a move in the summer?

I see he is linked again to Madrid today, although I think joining them would actually see him in a worse position than he is with us.

But really a player like him should be a regular starter for a top club.

Ole was very patient. But he also had the ability to play on the wing (he played numerous excellent games for us out wide).
Click to expand...

I am not sure about him being a regular starter at a top club to be honest. He has been great in coming off the bench and scoring crucial goals, but starting day in day out might test his consistency levels a fair bit and there was a period when he was not firing with us which got a lot of fans frustrated.

He is great at being an impact sub, besides which he will still get enough starts as the season goes on. RVP and Rooney are not the fittest players in the world after all.

It could go bad for him if he decided to change the club for more appearances, as a lot of clubs these days look for forwards who are more complete, hardworking and with a better overall game. Chicha's overall game has improved but still he is a poacher, a position which is not used much in the top clubs. So if he does move, he is still likely to be on the bench of another top club and I think he knows that.
 
Fergus' son said:
You said, 'he'll never be a starter for a top side'.

For one, he was a starter for a top side for an entire season in which they won the league and got to the final of the CL. Secondly, he is still young and can improve further, so 'never' and the general assertion, was pretty off the mark.

Theres no shame in playing second fiddle to RVP, the best striker in the world at the peak of his powers and it doesn't mean that he can't be a starter for a top side.

Do you understand?
Click to expand...

Yes, he was a starter for 1 season for a top side. The other 2 he has been deemed not good enough to hold down a first team spot.

Fact.

He'll always be second fiddle to top strikers at top clubs. Whether that's Van Persie at United or some other player at some other club.

He'd have a great chance to be a regular at a club outside of the elite (Arsenal, Spurs et al) though. Because he's a brilliant player. Just not brilliant enough.
 
He in my opinion would be a starter at a lot of other top sides. Probably not Madrid but I think others would have used him more than we have this season (in a starting role). The weakest part of his game, in my opinion, is his build up play/first touch to control. That I think can be improved with more minutes he gets, if he adds that to his game then I think he's got almost everything you want from a striker. He's an excellent finisher, smart, quick and great in the air.

I don't blame him if he wants to look elsewhere but I'd be surprised if we let him go.
 
LR7 said:
I highly doubt your first point. If you count the amount of appearences both have had this season in that main striker position Hernandez has way more than welbeck despite welbeck playing a lot more games. So clearly he is ahead of welbeck as a striker.
Click to expand...

But that's just because we had problems on wingers, and Hernandez can only play up front.

I still think Welbeck has better future as striker at United than Hernandez. And when our winger play is sorted, we'll see Welbeck playing upfront more often.
 
I don't think there's another club on our level he could move to and be a regular starter. He could either take a slight step down to someone challenging for the cl spots and probs be a starter but then I don't think he'd be in contention for many titles. In fairness I think we could have fit him in more this season, even in terms of subs, rvp has played a lot of 90 mins, hopefully if he's here he'll get more time even when a sub.

This was always gonna be an issue though when you have 4 strikers and kagawa who wants to play in the hole. Welbeck and kagawa have enjoyed more playing time because the poor performances and injuries of the wingers have opened up some spots, but if they start performing next season then things might get even tougher for the fringe strikers.
 
Carl said:
If he's not happy with his current role then he should look to move on. He'll never be a starter for a top side.
Click to expand...

Agree with this, even tough I wouldn't want him to go, since it's always good to have him on the bench, he has proved he is excellent super-sub.
 
Carl said:
Yes, he was a starter for 1 season for a top side. The other 2 he has been deemed not good enough to hold down a first team spot.

Fact.

He'll always be second fiddle to top strikers at top clubs. Whether that's Van Persie at United or some other player at some other club.

He'd have a great chance to be a regular at a club outside of the elite (Arsenal, Spurs et al) though. Because he's a brilliant player. Just not brilliant enough.
Click to expand...

That negates the 'never', and that's without even taking into consideration that he is young and can improve.

He is clearly second fiddle to Van Persie, who wouldnt be. It's not guaranteed that he would be second fiddle to top strikers at other clubs though, he would start more often than not for Juventus and Madrid IMO.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.