After around 60 minutes of stagnant football, the game finally burst at the seams. Javier Hernandez came on in the 77th minute to add some much needed pace and movement to a lethargic United front-line that was struggling to break-down Valencia’s back four.
Hernandez did just that. A beautifully worked move between Nani, Federico Macheda and a sublime finish by Hernandez gave Manchester United a crucial 0-1 win at the Mestalla. After a string of first-class performances, it was Hernandez’s first competitive goal.
After striker Wayne Rooney carried much of the burden up-forward last season, fans were expecting a substantial summer transfer window purchase, a big centre-forward who would help share Rooney’s exorbitant goal expectations.
However, it was a relatively unknown Mexican that was acquired for a relatively modest transfer fee. Javier Hernandez also known as ‘Chicharito’ (little pea) arrived for around eight million pounds and manager Sir Alex Ferguson was adamant that he had signed a star.
The 5ft 9in striker had a devastating season in Mexico and has been tracked for some time by United’s talented scouts. But, due to his height, thin frame, transfer-fee and being almost completely unknown, Hernandez was already overlooked by United’s fans.
It was not till Hernandez scored two goals for Mexico in the World Cup against both France and Argentina that both United fans and football spectators alike, realized that Ferguson may have unearthed a gem.
Hernandez showed fantastic tactical awareness and finishing ability when he was able to get behind the defense against France and when he smashed the ball into the top corner against a buoyed Argentina.
Hernandez then started off his United career in fine fashion when he scored against Chelsea in the Community Sheild where he once again showed a lightning burst of pace and ability to get in behind an opposition defender.
Although Hernandez failed to score in his next four games for United, he demonstrated fantastic technical and athletic ability. As well as his burst of pace, tactical awareness, hunger and finishing ability, he also demonstrated an extraordinary ability to beat much taller players in the air. Against Glasgow Rangers in United’s opening Champions League group match, Hernandez was able to out-leap the much taller combination of David Weir and Sasa Papac.
In-fact, when you look back at videos from when he played for Guadalajara in Mexico, Hernandez scored a number of goals via his enormous vertical-leap.
Indeed, even before Hernadez’s crucial goal against Valencia he began to draw plaudits and comparisons to United’s greats, such as Ole Gunnar Solkjaer, a player also extremely technically gifted. And it became obvious that Ferguson had successfully signed a player with unbounded ability.
Despite the praise, Hernandez had not been able to use his ability to convert in a competitive fixture and this created a shred of doubt among the United faithful.
The goal against Valencia broke Hernandez’s competitive goal-scoring ‘duck’ and may well have destroyed doubts about Hernandez’s ability to score in crucial games. In addition, Chicharito’s debut competitive goal may give him the perfect tonic to become a goal-scoring machine at Old Trafford.
Hernandez is not proof of compromise, but that a smart investment can be more beneficial than a large investment.
James Gray-Foster
Roar Pro
Brian your point is fair, but with all due respect I feel like you're dismissing the depth in the squad. Yes most of the same lads player every week, but there's a whole lot of depth in the squad that Real and Chelsea don't have and as a result are forced to buy. I think we have 6 really great, effective strikers: Rooney, Berbatov, Owen, Hernandez, Macheda and Welbeck. Chelsea really only have Drogba, Anelka and Kalou. Drogba and Anelka are getting old and will need to be replaced soon. Chelsea just don't have the depth within their squad to replace them. With no great surprise, they'll buy to fill the gaps. Same goes for Real, why have a youth policy when you can just buy? Well, Barcelona are a great example of why it's extremely effective to raise talent. More than half of their starting 11 are academy players and you can tell by the way they play their football. Total-football (as it's known) has been taught to those Barca lads since they were 12 or 13 and their chemistry is undeniable. United don't have the same sort of talent in the academy as Barca, but there's a number of positions already covered for the future. When Scholes and Giggs retire we may need to invest in suitable replacements, but with so much talent coming through the ranks, we'll establish the same sort of chemistry that Barca have and that Real and Chelsea can't buy. You also save a crap-load in the process! As David V has also mentioned, when you raise talent they become folklore at the club and highly respected all round. Giggsy and Scholesy have incomparable personalities, but so are one-club men of the future. Looking at the reserves, academy and the first team now. Expect: Jonny Evans, Chris Smalling, the Da Silva twins, Bebe', Welbeck, Hernandez, Pogba, Cofie and Gibson to stick around for a while! Macheda seems like a Ronaldo-type player that may depart to Italy in some time. But yes, appreciate the comments gentleman. Much appreciated!
David V.
Guest
Scholes and Giggs, dare I say, look like relics in modern football and relics that football supporters regardless of persuasion can respect. Because they represent virtues, both on and off field, that are an endangered species in our game.
Brian
Guest
I like the article and have good wraps on Heernandez but United whole strategy this season seems to be built on quantity rather than quality. Ferguson constantly switches between Carrick, Anderson, Giigs, Scholes, Rafael, O'Shea, Evans, Brown, Berbatov, Hernandez etc. Apart from the other of form Rooney, and possibly Evra and Fletcher there aren't many players who could currnetly be considered for a World XI or even an EPL XI. Man U approach seems to be to have 11 men entirely ready for each game they play rather than having many stars. I salute Man U in that with the squad they have they are currently running 2nd. However as a Man U fan I still find it somewhat unfortunate that when Rooney got injured against Bayernin the first leg last year there was no talented Carlos Tevez to play in the second leg. Yes Hernandez maybe special but without the worlds best I am not sure how they can progress past Real, Barca or Chelsea.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
No problem, James - I'm more than happy to provide positive feedback when it's deserved! You're absolutely right about the need to have "passion" for the subject matter and this is, most likely, why I'm currently so disillusioned with the football reporting in the mainstream newspapers. When you have real passion for the Game, you always look for the one glimmer of positive news and ... that becomes the story! You could so easily have focused on the negatives from the Man United v Valencia game but instead you decided to focus on that 3 seconds of Hernandez magic! That's the sign of a "true believer" and I wish people like you were employed to report on football. PS: When communicating via the internet, I think it's best that I keep my identity anonymous ;-), but I will certainly be looking forward to your next article
James Gray-Foster
Roar Pro
Thank you so much for that mate! I really, really, appreciate it. I just have a real passion for 'United and for the game itself and any quality that's in my writing stems from there. I'll take a look at your articles and try and give you some useful feedback too. I don't really know how you contact each other on here apart from these comment boxes, but if you've got Facebook or something, email it through!
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
Thank you, James Gray-Foster for this wonderful report. I watched the game yesterday morning and was happy enough to settle for a 0-0 away result as the clock ticked down but was ecstatic when Hernandez coolly slotted the ball home. And, yet again, SAF discovers an undervalued gem ... as only a Scotsman can do ;-) I certainly hope to read more of your football reports, henceforth? You had me savouring every word you wrote and I wish some our mainstream football reporters would read your column to get an idea about the type of information and style of writing that is needed to capture the heart and mind of a football fan!