A year ago Manchester United’s Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez was taking the Premier League by storm, forging a burgeoning reputation as a clinical finisher, a bargain buy and a talent; probably one of the biggest from the America’s and the CONCACAF region in particularly since Dwight Yorke and further back Mexican hero himself Hugo Sanchez. Fast forward the story and ‘Little Pea’ as he is fondly regarded struggles to get a start nowadays with Sir Alex Ferguson plumping for the precocious Danny Welbeck as Wayne Rooney’s rightful strike partner. It is hard to put your finger upon exactly just where Hernandez has underwhelmed in the eyes of the manager with Welbeck’s succession sticking out as the only reason for his relative backward step in Europe.
Hernandez has started 17 times in the league this term; five times less than Welbeck and although this doesn’t seem such a difference upon first glance, Ferguson has continued to favour the partnership the England internationals together more often than not across the cup competitions also. Whilst Manchester United purists will maintain Hernandez is still learning the English game, the Mexican would surely look back on his first season with more fondness than that of the present. Having still struck ten goals in 26 appearances in total this term, Hernandez clearly hasn’t lost his clinical finishing abilities but his in and out nature in the team has meant he hasn’t been able to build on the initial haul of 19 he got last term and more importantly the outstanding reputation he earned in the eyes of the media and onlookers and neutrals alike.
Calls of ‘second season syndrome’ have been employed to describe the Mexican’s second wave in the Premier League with the phrase usually applied in describing a downturn in fortunes for a football club but moreover for a players merits also. Every player must accept he is part of a team with squad changes, injury and personal preferences altering across the longevity of a campaign, but whilst the striker’s downturn hasn’t been as dramatic as say Marouane Chamakh’s, the fact Javier Hernandez hasn’t been able to dislodge Welbeck from the squad might be weighing heavy on his mind.
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Hernandez was lauded by many a punditry panel last term for his link up with Rooney and the fact it looked like they had been playing together for years in a so-called dream partnership. Whilst Rooney would and still drops deep to collect the ball, it was a mark of Chicharito’s 2010/11 campaign that he made perfectly timed runs, beating the offside trap to receive a Rooney assist and score. Twinned with this was an impressive climb in the air for a player who only stands at 5ft9, with the memorable ‘seal flick’ header at Stoke City representing his most wondrous of leaps.
Wayne Rooney stated in the press and of Hernandez and the partnership
‘I’m sure people will know a bit more about him this year but his movement is so good it’s difficult to defend against. It won’t be easy for players to defend against him whether they know about him or not’
We live in a society of immediacy as Arsene Wenger pointed out earlier this campaign, and expectancy levels have had the potential to be damaging in the cases of Theo Walcott, Fernando Torres and Andy Carroll. Partly because of the fast-paced and direct implications of modern day living and impatience radiating as a result, reputations are that much more short-lived than ever before, with hero to zero statuses occurring within a blinking of the eye. Maybe because specific teams, personnel and rare breeds such as Barcelona and Lionel Messi continue to deliver greatness consistently, many fans may subconsciously find it hard to take or fail to understand why some of their pros may lose their way or suffer a dip in form.
Hernandez may well be suffering from second season syndrome in that he hasn’t had as much influence as he did in his maiden campaign, but a lack of a consistent run in the first team has directly been comparable with his down turning fortunes. Only time will tell whether the Mexican can successfully break back into the first eleven, or suffer further as a result of English eyes wanting Danny Welbeck to do well in his fast-tracked development with the Red Devils.
Is Javier Hernandez the real deal? Have his performances this season disappointed? Will he go on to taste a long and successful career at United? Follow me @ http://twitter.com/Taylor_Will1989