Manchester United's Javier Hernandez aiming for Champions League qualification with victory against Basel

After only managing a point against Benfica on Tuesday, the Red Devils need at least a draw to progress to the final 16, but Chicharito insists it will look for a win

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Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez is confident his side will progress to the last 16 in the Champions League despite their 2-2 draw with Benfica on Tuesday.

"We will go to Basel to win the game," Chicharito told MUTV. "We have lost two home points against Benfica but this is football. Benfica are a strong team, unbeaten this season, and they played very well against us.

"We are still in the fight, we have nine points and we will go to Switzerland to get another three. We are Manchester United and we never give up, we work very hard for every game."

The Red Devils need a point from their final game against Basel to qualify from Group C, but are likely only to finish second behind the Portuguese outfit who top the table on head-to-head fixtures.

If the Old Trafford side do finish as group runners-up, it may face Barcelona, Real Madrid or Bayern Munich in the knockout stages, yet the 23-year-old preferred to focus on the task of qualification first.

"First we need to qualify and then look at which teams we will play," he added. 

Source

http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/85/england/2011/11/23/2771126/manchester-uniteds-javier-hernandez-aiming-for-champions

Manchester United's Chicharito hails teammate Danny Welbeck’s flying start to the season

The Mexico international is impressed with the young Englishman’s improvement since his arrival at Old Trafford and optimistic about the team's hopes of a 20th league title

Javier Hernandez Chicharito And Park Ji Sung

Javier Hernandez has praised teammate Danny Welbeck’s excellent start to the season and believes Manchester United’s young stars will play a key role in the club’s quest for a record 20th league title.

Having enjoyed a productive loan spell with Sunderland last term, Welbeck has made a blistering start to the current campaign at Old Trafford, bagging five goals and catching the eye with his searing pace and tireless work rate.

Hernandez, who made a similarly revelatory impact for United last season, admitted he has been impressed by the dramatic improvement his teammate has made since making his senior debut three years ago.

“Yes, I’d seen [Welbeck] play quite a few times, and not only last year when he was on loan at Sunderland,” the Mexican told Inside United.

“I remember when I was in Mexico and I was watching Manchester United on television – Danny was just starting to come into the team and be given a few chances.

“You could see he had a lot of potential then, and was improving all the time. He was a good prospect then and now he’s even better. He’s had a great start to the season.”

With the likes of Welbeck, Tom Cleverley and Phil Jones now in the ranks, 'Chicharito' is confident about United’s chances of securing a record 20th league title under the noses of bitter local rivals Manchester City.

“I’m sure we can do it,” he added. “We have a lot of young players who are hungry to do well, and that helps inspire the rest of the squad.

“They may have been here for many years and won a lot of trophies, but they still have a lot of desire.

“I think we have a good mix of youth and experience, and that will be very important for us.”
Source

http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/1956/europe/2011/11/14/2756617/manchester-uniteds-chicharito-hails-teammate-danny-welbecks

Chicharito praises 'unbelievable' Sir Alex Ferguson

The Scot is set to complete his 25th year in the Old Trafford dugout but the Mexican is still in awe over his enthusiasm for the job and his personality off the pitch

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Javier Hernandez has heaped praise on Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson ahead of his 25th anniversary at Old Trafford on Sunday.

The Mexican has been one of Sir Alex’s best signings, forming a deadly partnership up front with Wayne Rooney since signing from Chivas de Guadalajara in 2010.

And he believes his manager is incomparable to all others due to his continuing enthusiasm and will to win, which is still just as strong today

Javier Hernandez Chicharito And Sir Alex Ferguson

"He's completely different," Hernandez told Inside United. "You can't compare him to anybody else. What's impressed me most about him, and this is something I noticed from the first day I met him, is that he's a very simple person. You can talk about all the things he's won and all the years he's been in charge but you wouldn't know it if you watched him on the bench. Every game looks like it's his first game for him. He's so excited, so enthusiastic - he wants to win so much. That is key: he will never get bored of winning and he enjoys what he does."

 

Aside from Ferguson's drive to win, Hernandez says the boss treats his players well.

"He's also a really nice man," the forward said. "Every day he'll ask me how I'm feeling, whether I'm okay, whether I need anything. He's just an unbelievable person and he doesn't treat you differently whether you're on the pitch or off the pitch. He recognizes that first you are a human being and then you are a football player. He knows that if you're doing okay in your personal life then you'll be okay in your profession."

When asked if anybody in Mexico could come close to replicating Sir Alex’s stay at Old Trafford, Hernandez sounded certain it wouldn't happen any time soon.

"No, no.  Sometimes a manager is only in charge for two games before they get fired! It's a very different culture. It would be a miracle in Mexico if somebody stayed in the job for 25 years!"

Manchester United's Chicharito stretchered off with ankle injury during Aston Villa clash, could miss four weeks according to Sir Alex Ferguson

Though there is no official diagnosis, Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson believes Chicharito could miss four weeks

Javier Hernandez Chicharito

Manchester United's Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez was stretchered off with an ankle injury during the Premier League game against Aston Villa on Saturday and Sir Alex Ferguson believes he could be out for four weeks, though no official diagnosis has come through.

"I think it’s torn ligaments in the ankle, it’ll keep him out for maybe four weeks,” Ferguson told ESPN after the game. "We’re having a bad time with injuries at the moment, so it’s just as well we have a strong squad.

The Mexican international joins forwards Michael Owen and Dimitar Berbatov on the treatment table, meaning Danny Welbeck will see more playing time.

There was nobody near the 23-year-old when he went down in the Villa penalty box, as he appeared to turn his left ankle. The incident happened six minutes into the game.

If the player is indeed out four weeks, then he could miss up to five Premier League games, and will certainly miss Manchester United's Champions League decider at FC Basel on Wednesday.

Manchester United's Chicharito stretchered off with ankle injury during Aston Villa clash, could miss four weeks according to Sir Alex Ferguson

Though there is no official diagnosis, Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson believes Chicharito could miss four weeks

Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez was stretchered off with an ankle injury during the Premier League clash with Aston Villa on Saturday.

The 23-year-old Mexican went down in the Villa penalty box untouched by an opposing defender, appearing to turn on his left ankle early into the game.

Sir Alex Ferguson told cameras post-match that Chicharito had torn some ligaments and will miss four weeks with the injury.

United won the dreary game 1-0 at Villa Park.
Source

http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/1918/mexicans-abroad/2011/12/03/2786952/manchester-united-striker-javier-hernandez-stretchered-off

'A goal is a goal' – Chicharito says he does not mind how he scores for Manchester United

The Mexican is yet to score from outside the box for the Red Devils, much like striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, but says it does not matter whether you score a tap in or a screamer

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Javier Hernandez has said that he does not mind how he scores goals for Manchester United - as long as he keeps scoring them.

'Chicharito' is yet to score from outside the penalty area for United, in the same manner as former United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, who went 138 games without scoring a goal from beyond 18 yards despite his impressive record of 150 goals in 219 appearances.

Comparisons have been sparked following the Mexican's latest effort against Everton, which earned United a 1-0 win.

When asked whether he will find the net from long distance, Hernandez told Inside United, "You never know!

Hernandez also mentioned that United's tactical setup was a big factor in how he scores his goals.

"I think part of the reason I haven't done that yet is because of the instructions I receive from Sir Alex [Ferguson]," he continued. "My job is to play very high, right on the last man. To be honest, I don't mind how I score goals - whether or not you score from one meter or from the halfway line, it counts the same. A goal is a goal."


Source

http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/85/england/2011/10/31/2736963/a-goal-is-a-goal-chicharito-says-he-does-not-mind-how-he

Zac Lee Rigg: Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez keeps his homebody humility despite razor run to soccer's pinnacle

From nearly quitting soccer to starting a Champions League final in a handful of months, Hernandez's most impressive attribute is his humility. 

Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez is so good, he doesn't even need to touch the ball to score anymore.

In the fledgling minutes of a friendly against Serbia, Hernandez darted toward the near side to meet a Carlos Salcido cross with defender Slobodan Rajkovic close behind. Neither made contact with the ball though they were a mere pea's width away. That so surprised goalkeeper Vladimir Stojkovic, who had moved to his right to cover the near post, he allowed the ball to trickle in on his left.

Even as Mexico waltzed and whirled to an impressive 2-0 win ("We played free, we played calm," Salcido said according to Medio Tempo), to Serbia's credit the defense tightened after that. Stojkovic snapped out of his daze to pull off a number of solid blocks, and the backline took turns figuring out who could kick Hernandez as high in the air as possible.

Manchester City defender Aleksandar Kolarov won that particular competition. Though Branislav Ivanovic also collected a yellow for a rough challenge, Kolarov stupidly shoved Hernandez in the box to earn his second caution.  

Chicharito slid home the penalty in the 87th minute and then coach Jose Manuel 'Chepo' de la Torre yanked him out of the game in case any other Serbian defenders tried to one-up Kolarov.

De la Torre had left the Manchester United striker in the match as long as he could, knowing El Tri needed the insurance goal with Serbia wrestling back possession in the second half. The win marked Chepo's first on home soil (admittedly, his chances have been limited: an agreement with Soccer United Marketing sees Mexico play five friendlies a year in the United States) and was Mexico's first home win against a European opponent in 17 years. 

Javier Hernandez Chicharito

 

For Hernandez, the penalty marked his 23rd goal in 25 international starts (33 appearances total). He scores for El Tri once every 96.8 minutes of field-time.

Really, his goalscoring record is the only scandalous aspect of the 23-year-old. This is a player who, when he traveled to the World Cup in 2010, still lived with his parents and studied business administration at Universidad del Valle de Atemajac. The city of Manchester is rife with stories of his random acts of kindness, including giving a signed jersey and poster to the son of a women who helped him overcome the language barrier at a shop.

"I will always be the same kid, with my feet always on the ground," he told ESPN after signing with United. "I am, first and foremost, a human being."

Hernandez is the anti-Balotelli – the calm, kind kid who somehow becomes even more polite and respectful as the zeros add up in his bank account (he signed a new five-year deal with the Red Devils in October). He's the goalscorer with gaudy stats who somehow isn't greedy.

"I scored a goal but it is Manchester United that scored," Hernandez said after notching the equalizer in a 1-1 tie against Liverpool on Oct. 15. "It doesn’t matter who scored the goals. There are no heroes here."

Perhaps not, but Hernandez is certainly beloved in Mexico if the feminine shrieks when he scored against Serbia are anything to go by.

Hernandez started playing for Chivas in his hometown of Guadalajara at 9 years old. He signed his first contract at 15, but up until then his father, Javier 'Chicharo' Hernandez (the son derives his nickname and piercing green eyes from his sire), didn't think his boy would take up the family profession.

Chicharito's maternal grandfather, Tomas Balcazar, scored five goals in four qualifying matches to lead Mexico to the 1954 World Cup. There, he notched against France at 22 years of age. Hernandez senior played for El Tri in the 1986 World Cup.

But if the three generations of Mexican strikers seems predestined now (Hernandez the younger symmetrically scored against France in the World Cup at 22 years of age), it wasn't always assured. Chicharito didn't make the Mexico roster that won the U17 World Cup in 2005 with attacking talent like Carlos Vela and Giovani Dos Santos. At 20, Chicharito considered dropping soccer altogether to concentrate on his university studies. He saw younger players pass him into the full team and wondered if he had a future as a starter.

Talks with his agent, parents, grandparents and girlfriend eventually reminded him that soccer was his passion, and he decided to continue.

That year, he went on to score 21 goals in 28 games for Chivas. Less than 12 months later, he was on a plane to watch Manchester United face Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals of the Champions League, meet Sir Alex Ferguson and sign for the Red Devils. 

Javier Hernandez Chicharito

 

United was presciently eager to tie down the prodigy before he excelled in South Africa and demanded secrecy in the deal so that no Spanish teams could scupper it, meaning Chicharito told his grandfather he was flying to Atlanta on holiday up until a day before he left. Balcazar says he burst into tears and nearly had a heart-attack upon learning of the deal.

The entire family, grandpops included, moved to England with Chicharito. Earlier, Chicharo had quit his job as Chivas reserve team manager when the club didn't grant him time off to watch his son in the World Cup. "Work is secondary," he explained.

Like the Bluths, family comes first for the Hernandezes. However, Chicharito knows how to get down to business as well. He scored 20 goals in all competitions his first season in England, with Ferguson crediting the Mexican's form for dropping Premier League top scorer Dimitar Berbatov; Hernandez started the Champions League final with the Bulgarian in the stands.

Chicharito's clinical edge is one of the main reasons Mexico has retaken control in CONCACAF after nearly a decade of U.S. dominance. Hernandez scored seven goals in six games to finish top scorer and MVP of the latest Gold Cup, which Mexico won.

The Americans have lacked incision up top ever since Charlie Davies' automobile accident scythed the striker down before his prime. In his stead, the burly Jozy Altidore has led the line with a bluntness that contrasts with the razor runs of Hernandez, who posted the top speed of any player at the 2010 World Cup at 32.15 kilometers/hour (nearly 20 miles/hour).

Aside from pace, Chicharito's movement flummoxes defensive lines and his gentleness is belied by sheer ruthlessness in front of goal. In the Premier League, Hernandez puts 62 percent of his shots on target. Of his 17 league goals, three have come from his left foot, eight from his right and six from headers. Even at only 5-feet, 9-inches, Hernandez is adept at using his noggin, not to mention his impressive vert.

"You think, OK, here's this little midget," Jesus Padilla, Hernandez's teammate at Chivas for three years, told the New York Times. "But he's got some serious hops. He's amazing in the air."

As youth players in the Guadalajara system, Padilla showed more promise. Instead his middling career has meandered, taking him to Major League Soccer and the Mexican second tier on loan deals, while Hernandez matured into the continent's biggest star. If you had told the future to a teenaged Chicharito, he probably wouldn't have believed you.

"Suddenly I'm going to be playing with the players I know from PlayStation and television," Hernandez said when he signed for Manchester United. "I'm living in a dream." 

Javier Hernandez Chicharito And Federico Macheda Preview Match MLS All-Stars 2 Manchester United 5

MLS ALL-STARS – 2

MANCHESTER UNITED – 5

Attendance: 70,728

Javier Hernandez marked his Manchester United debut with a stunning goal as Sir Alex Ferguson’s team cruised to a 5-2 victory against the MLS All-Stars in Houston.

Hernandez, a £7m signing from Mexican outfit Chivas de Guadalajara, lobbed the ball over goalkeeper Nick Rimando from 20 yards to complete United’s emphatic win.

The Mexico striker, nicknamed Chicharito, looked set to be upstaged by 18-year-old Federico Macheda after the Italian scored twice inside the opening 12 minutes to give United a commanding lead.

But Hernandez rewarded the sizeable Mexican turn-out inside the Reliant Stadium by scoring his first goal in a United shirt six minutes from full-time.

With Hernandez only meeting his new team-mates for the first time on Monday, Ferguson opted to start the game with his new signing on the bench.

If it was meant as a challenge to Macheda, then it certainly had the desired effect in the first-half, with the Italian teenager scoring twice in the early stages.

Macheda, who does not celebrate his 19th birthday until next month, endured a frustrating campaign last term, making just ten appearances due to a series of injuries.

Ferguson had claimed 12 months ago that last season could be a breakthrough year for the young forward, but a year on, Macheda must now prove he can fight off the challenge of Hernandez to rival Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov and Michael Owen for first-team football.

He made the perfect start in the Reliant, however, by giving United the lead inside 22 seconds.
A sloppy back-pass by All-Stars full-back Kevin Alston was intercepted by Macheda and the striker calmly slotted the ball past goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts to give United the lead.

United, beaten by Kansas City Wizards on Sunday, were clearly determined to bounce back with a victory and their impressive start was rewarded when Macheda scored again on 12 minutes.

The All-Stars, a select XI assembled from a vote of fans of the 16 MLS franchises, only had a matter of days to prepare for the game and it showed as their lack of defensive understanding led to Macheda jumping unmarked to head Nani’s corner past Ricketts from six yards.

Bruce Arena’s All-Stars fought back and former Aston Villa forward Juan Pablo Angel had a 20-yard free-kick tipped over by Edwin van der Sar before sending a near post shot inches over the crossbar.
Van der Sar then saved well from Marco Pappa at the near post before Macheda spurned a golden chance to make it 3-0 on 37 minutes.

Released by Ryan Giggs, Macheda could only guide his angled shot wide of the past. Moments later, Darren Fletcher rattled crossbar following a one-two with substitute Tom Cleverley, a replacement for the injured Gabriel Obertan.

The All-Stars stepped up a gear in the second-half, though, and substitute Brian Ching halved the deficit with a header from David Ferreira’s 64th minute corner.

United responded well, however, and Darron Gibson scored a 20-yard free-kick following a foul on Hernandez to restore the English team’s two-goal advantage.

Three minutes later, Cleverley made it 4-1 with a close range strike after being teed up by Darren Fletcher.
The goal that most of the stadium had come to see arrived on 84 minute, though, when Hernandez ran onto Paul Scholes’s long-pass before guiding the ball over the helpless Rimando.

MLS ALL-STARS (4-5-1): Ricketts (Rimando h-t); Olave (Gonzalez h-t), Alston (De Rosario 74), Marshall (Conde 63), Pearce (Donovan 74); Le Toux (Convey h-t), Morales (Moreno 63), Joseph (Davis 74), Barros-Schelotto (Ferreira h-t), Pappa (Larentowicz h-t); Angel (Ching h-t). Subs: Buddle. Goal: Ching (64), De Rosario (90).

MANCHESTER UNITED (4-3-3): Van der Sar; Rafael, Brown, J. Evans, Fabio (Scholes 72); O’Shea, Fletcher, Giggs (Gibson 52); Nani (Hernandez 62), Macheda (Welbeck 62), Obertan (Cleverley 23). Subs: Kuszczak (g), Amos (g), Scholes, Berbatov, De Laet, Diouf, C. Evans, Smalling. Goals: Macheda (1, 12), Gibson (70), Cleverley (73), Hernandez (84). Booked: J. Evans, Scholes
Referee: Jorge Gonzalez (USA)

Too much, too young for Federico Macheda at Manchester United?

Two questions always accompany any mention of Federico Macheda and his stop-start career at Manchester United.

The first centres on when, or if, the Italian will fulfil his potential and that is swiftly followed by the other, which goes along the lines of, ‘Is he really still a teenager?’

Having exploded onto the scene at Old Trafford with a dramatic late winner against Aston Villa as a 17-year-old substitute in Apr 2009, Macheda has since made sporadic blips on the radar before disappearing beneath the surface for frustrating long periods.

Since that goal against Villa, Macheda has made 26 further appearances for United, with three more goals added to his account, yet he remains an enigma.

Injury and a six-month loan spell at Sampdoria last season, which proved disastrous with Macheda failing to score a single goal as Samp were relegated from Serie A, have interrupted his progress at Old Trafford.

But the 19-year-old offered a reminder of his potential by scoring twice as a substitute in United’s 4-1 victory against New England Revolution in the opening game of the club’s tour of the United States.

Both were six-yard box finishes, crisp, well-taken goals that are the hallmark of any natural goalscorer.
Macheda can also be clumsy, headstrong and seemingly clueless about the offside rule, however, and the flaws in his game continue to place a question mark over his immediate future at United.

Consider that Wayne Rooney, Javier Hernandez and Dimitar Berbatov will be Sir Alex Ferguson’s three front-line strikers this season, the jostling behind that trio to become fourth in line is intensifying.

Aside from Macheda, Ferguson also has Michael Owen, Danny Welbeck and Mame Biram Diouf and, clearly, seven into four does not go.

Having signed a new one-year contract earlier this summer. Owen will continue to be Ferguson’s wildcard on the bench, the man with the pedigree and ability to save or win games in the closing stages.

So Macheda must see off the challenge of Welbeck and Diouf to avoid another loan spell away from Old Trafford in the coming campaign.

Welbeck, who made his full England debut against Ghana last season following a successful loan at Sunderland, has returned to United and will link up with the squad in Seattle this weekend.

Diouf, who had an unproductive year on loan at Blackburn, is most likely to find himself the odd-man out among the three youngsters.

But Macheda’s ability to score goals in the tightest situations might just give him the edge over Welbeck, whose early season form at Sunderland tailed off due to injury last term.

Whether Macheda will meet the challenge is another matter, though. He is rated highly by Ferguson, but he starred in pre-season last summer before failing to grasp his chance once the season started.

The same may happen again, but then we should remember he is still only 19.

Macheda might appear to have been around for years, but he is still only a rookie and reminding people of might be a valuable exercise.

Javier Hernandez 2010 Top 5 Goals with Manchester United, Mexico and Chivas.

Javier Hernandez 2010 Top 5 Goals with Manchester United, Mexico and Chivas.

People Comment :

I don't really mind at all what people say about Chicharito and/or Mexico. We all know, especially me, not to judge one's opinions. They can brag all they want about how Chicharito and/or Mexico sucks and how good they are. Although, if these people start talking some racist shit over Mexico or if Chicharito sucks just because he's Mexican, you racist bastards can just go to hell for all I care.

shadowing32 September 27 2011

 

simple tap ins? tell me one player who scores consecutive tap ins? its not easy to position urself everytime time, especially with he defenders in EPL. Chicharito is a defenders nightmare and his postioning is on point.

MrNoorize September 27 2011 

 

He was better before coming to Manchester United. Since the clubs reputation is massive, everyone goes Waaahhhhhh!!!! even if he scores many simple tap-ins. There are better strikers in smaller clubs scoring brilliant goals and everyone thinks thats just normal. Would like to see Chicharito score some brilliant goals like Wayne Rooney, Fernando Torres, Van Persie, Ashley Young and Suarez. I think 'Berbatov' is better than Chicharito in terms of skills. Too bad recently has lost his form.

junkead September 25 2011

 

@p3rfectsimplicity berba and chicha both have pros and cons, berba has good ball control, vision, he's technical player but he doesn't have speed and not the best finisher but chicha needs to work on his ball control and stuff.

egoista101 September 21 2011

 

 

 

 

Chicha braced for Basel

Javier Hernandez would be a fitting hero on 7 December if he scores for United in Switzerland, a country synonymous with precision.

Javier Hernandez Chicharito

The prolific Mexican has netted the Reds’ only goal in three of his last four away games – the equaliser against Liverpool and the winners at Everton and Swansea. His uncanny knack for being in the right place at the right time could be crucial again when Sir Alex Ferguson's men meet FC Basel for a place in the Champions League's last 16.

"We will go to Basel to win the game," Chicharito told MUTV, dismissing thoughts that United may settle for the point sufficient to go through with new Group C leaders Benfica.

Javier Hernandez Chicharito

"We have lost two home points against Benfica but this is football. Benfica are a strong team, unbeaten this season, and they played very well against us.

"We are still in the fight, we have nine points and we will go to Switzerland to get another three. We are Manchester United and we never give up, we work very hard for every game."

If the Reds go through as runners-up, the leaders of the other groups will lie in wait in the draw. Currently they include Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, as well as two teams United would not be allowed to face, fellow English clubs Arsenal and Chelsea.

"First we need to qualify and then look at which teams we will play," added Chicharito.

Javier Hernandez Chicharito And Louis Nani

“We were quietly pleased with what we saw of Javier at the World Cup,”

Javier Hernandez is quickly becoming the talk of the Old Trafford backroom staff following his World Cup displays.

Mike Phelan, United assistant manager, has been talking up Hernandez and has stated everyone at the club is looking forward to working with the 22 year old striker.
Speaking on the official website Phelan said,

Javier Hernandez Chicharito

“We were quietly pleased with what we saw of Javier at the World Cup, he’s still on a break after being in South Africa with Mexico, but we’d like to get him on board as quick as we can, so he’ll join us in America. Then hopefully he’ll be a major influence on the team.
We did the deal before the World Cup and that has probably helped us a little bit!” added Phelan. “He has only just begun his career with the national team, but already he is a very influential player for Mexico. He’s young, he’s athletic and he’s as keen as mustard. He’ll be a good addition to what we’ve already got. We all hope he hits the ground running and adds to what we think is a good blend of youth and experience in our squad. We just hope it all comes together.”

Hernandez had been linked with a loan move to Valencia following his impressive World Cup campaign but these comments could mean otherwise.

Hernandez is still on a break now but will link up with the team in the States ahead of United’s game with Chivas, a match arranged as part of the deal that saw Hernandez join us.

An instance where a loan move is the WRONG decision

Javier Hernandez Chicharito

A lot of clubs see loans as ideal situations. Both sides benefit as the club sending the player on loan sees the player get the game time he may not get at his club whilst the club taking the player on loan gain a valuable player often from a bigger club.

Arsenal did it last season with Jay Emmanuel Thomas and although he went on loan to Doncaster for the latter part of the season, Blackpool fans have acknowledged the part he played in them being promoted to the Premier League in his time at the seaside club.

Closer to home you can look to0 the success of Tom Cleverley’s spell at Vicarage Road where he scored 11 goals and went on to be named Watford’s player of the year.

Javier Hernandez Chicharito And Friend's

With this summer’s World Cup over for United player’s there is very little we have to boast about. Rooney didn’t shine as expected whilst Patrice Evra’s France and Nemanja Vidic’s Serbia both crashed out at the group stage but one of the bright sparks for us was the performances of Mexico’s Javier Hernandez.

For many of us it was our first chance to see him up close against proper opposition and he didn’t fail to impresses. In his 4 appearances, 3 of which were from the substitute bench, he scored two goals both eye catching efforts against France where he expertly beat the offside trap and Argentina where he turned his defender and rifled past the hapless goal keeper.

Hernandez excited United fans and pundits alike who likened him to Michael Owen with his intelligent runs and ability to find space, so it has come as some surprise that he has been linked with an immediate loan to Valencia before having kicked a ball for United.

Last year defensive injuries destabilised out title chances but the wheel’s really came off when Wayne Rooney picked up an ankle injury. With Michael Owen out also, it left Dimitar Berbatov and he failed to shine. Kiko Macheda tried to repeat his heroics of the previous season but it never came off although many were impressed with his efforts. So it is strange to say the least that Sir Alex is looking to send Hernandez out.

Javier Hernandez Chicharito

Unless he plans to bringing in another striker which is doubtful unless he suddenly finds value in the market, surely it would be best to keep Hernandez here? He is untested in England but he’ll never get the experience he needs unless he plays. Of course next season we will have Owen back, a player we lacked in Rooney’s absence but it that doesn’t means we should be quick to send Hernandez out.

In terms of forward players we appear to have a deep pool of selection. Not including the players already mention there is still Mame Biram Diouf and Danny Welbeck but who of these strikers would you be confident with playing up top in Rooney’s absence? Surely a player with Hernandez’s experience of playing on the world stage would be an asset in case of Rooney again picking up an injury?

I’m not Sir Alex and if there is any truth to0 these rumours then it’s all in the part of a greater scheme but I personally, as well as many others, think Hernandez would be better off learning his game here than away at another club.

That’s one hot Chich – Javier Hernandez watch

On a hot spring/summer night in north west London many of us got our first sighting of Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez and it was an interesting 45 minutes for our young new striker.

Javier Hernandez Chicharito

It was always going to be difficult to shine when just minutes into his appearance Glen Johnson grabbed England’s 3rd of the night but despite that Hernandez looked lively.

Always looking for space and to make intelligent off the ball runs, Hernandez kept the defenders on their toes and on around the 75 minute mark he came close to grabbing a goal as he just failed to connect with a ball played across the box after Baines was skinned.

Javier Hernandez Chicharito

He showed good link up play with another sub Blanco but before he could have an attempt on goal England snuffed the attack out.

He also fired a shot wide past Joe Hart’s right hand post.

His cameo was not enough time to make a proper assessment but it was a decent appearance from a promising young player. He looks like he will need good service but with out wingers (as well as an improved midfield hopefully) he should get that. I just feel if he had played in the first half when Mexico looked more of a threat rather than the second we may have seen more.

6.5/7 out of 10

Will this season be this starlet’s coming out party?

With all the talk of prospective signings and the potential problem areas in the team it would be easy to overlook the obvious talent we already have.

Whilst there is no obvious person to step into the role of creative midfielder that we have all been crying out for, those calling for back up for Wayne Rooney seem to forget the wealth of strikers we already have.
Dimitar Berbatov, Michael Owen, Mame Biram Diouf and Danny Welbeck may be able to do the job whilst in coming striker Javier Hernandez looked promising at the World Cup and will be expected to build on that but the player I think (OK hope) shines this season is Kiko Macheda.

The young Italian began to to chisel his name into the tablet that is Man United history with his epic last minute goal against Aston Villa and the following week grabbed what would be the winner against Sunderland. He was expected to build on his showings the following season but after some early appearances, injury hampered his progress and he made his first Premier League performance in March. In April trailing Chelsea, Macheda almost made himself a hero again when he scored a late goal against Chelsea and had United gone on to win or even draw that game, in the absence of Wayne Rooney, Macheda would have taken much of the plaudits.

Sir Alex has realised what he has on his hands and last summer said,

“Macheda is top drawer, a hero in the making, just as Cristiano was. It is hard to believe he is just 17. We probably need to check his birth certificate because I reckon he is at least 28.”

Javier Hernandez Chicharito

High praise from the gaffer and just yesterday Macheda’s agent Giovanni Ba claimed that Sir Alex declared the young Italian is ‘unsellable’. Speaking whilst on the tour of North America Sir Alex said,

“So we’ve a fine collection of young players who if you don’t give them an opportunity they’re going to stagnate and move to other clubs who’ll get the benefit of the work we’ve done with them.”

There are few youngsters in the team finer than Macheda so why can’t this season be his breakout season?

Javier Hernandez Chicharito

Of course at just 18 there may not be a huge number of chances for him but with the experience he has picked up steadily over the last two seasons you can see the gradual improvement in his play. A return of 3 goals in 15 appearances (only 8 of them being starts) isn’t poor for a player of his age and with the likes of Rooney, Owen, Berbatov and more importantly Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, his reserve manager, to learn from he will improve as a player and thus increase his goal return.



Macheda is a player brimming with confidence, a very important component in his rising stock. If we look at him lets say in comparison to Welbeck I think it’s quite easy to see that it is Macheda who plays with a greater air of arrogance and belief which is great to see for someone of his age.

As I said he may not find many chances coming his way but he looks like if he is entrusted with a bigger role in the first team this coming season he would just take it in his stride.

Javier Hernandez Chicharito

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Striker doesn’t make the Seleção over here

 
The M.E.N has released the results of it’s fan poll and quite surprisingly fans stated that it was upfront rather than the midfield that needed the most attention.

Javier Hernandez Chicharito

Although we are in urgent need of a creative force in the middle of the park, it was when Wayne Rooney picked up his ankle and groin injury at the tail end of the season that many thought the wheels came off our wagon.

Many names have been mentioned as coming in as reinforcements to get our front line up to scratch including Karim Benzema, Gonzalo Higuain, Edin Dzeko, Raul and David Villa to name a few but the name I was/am least excited about is Brazil and Sevilla forward Luis Fabiano.

Fabiano has been doing his best to get a move away from the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán singing the praises of Wayne Rooney, his potential strike partner, AC Milan as well as Manchester United as a club. Fabiano is doing well at the World Cup having scored 3 goals and this past season scored 21 goals for Sevilla but he just doesn’t appeal to me especially if Sevilla president Jose Maria Del Nido’s words are to be believed.
Del Nido has claimed it would take a sizable bid to wrestle him away from the club,

Javier Hernandez Chicharito

‘Considering the way the transfer market is at the moment, it’s difficult for us to receive an offer for Luis Fabiano that isn’t ridiculous (small),’

but for a player about to enter his 30s in think I’ll pass.
Fabiano is a seasoned player and for anything up to £10m could be a decent signing as he would guarantee goals as a second striker, provide more mobility up top and allow Rooney to drop deep in those games where our opposition set out to stifle us with negative play. He could provide us with service in the years it takes Kiko Macheda and Danny Welbeck to become ready to lead the line if they are to ever fulfil that promise but only at a reasonable price.

Javier Hernandez Chicharito

Fabiano’s contract expires next summer so Del Nido is playing a very dangerous game in trying to hold out for a huge fee and could possibly end up with nothing.

The signing of Javier Hernandez as well as the continuing development of Macheda and Welbeck may easy the load on Rooney in terms of goal scoring but if we do look to bring someone in, Fabiano specifically, then it shouldn’t be a huge money signing.

Paper Talk: Praise for Hernandez, Team takes shape

Following his goal scoring debut, Javier Hernandez is the talk of the town and understandably so. The plaudits have been raining in including from former US team coach, current manager of LA Galaxy and manager of the all star team that Hernandez scored against, Bruce Arena.

Arena insists that United have struck gold by securing his services and that Hernandez has bright future.
Hernandez’s performance has also given Sir Alex somewhat of a dilema as the young Mexican has forced his way into Sir Alex’s plans.

Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed he now plans to try a Rooney/Hernandez partnership and see if it bears fruit. To add to this, Ben Hibbs has declared that United will start off the season with an attack of Rooney, Berbatov, Macheda & Hernandez with Owen set to join when he returns from injury meaning loans for Diouf and Welbeck.

Antonio Valencia is set to be fit for the start of the season having resumed training.
The winger underwent an ankle op in May and it was thought he would be out for the opening weeks but he has joined up with the reserve team at Carrington and his recovery is well ahead of schedule.
More good news and will definitely be music to Rooney’s ears.

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Javier Hernandez Chicharito

 

A Headache Fergie will like

United’s main weakness over the last few seasons has been a lack of depth in the striking department, with United having to mainly depend on two or maybe three strikers to get the goals and if one of them happened to get injured it gave Sir Alex a big problem.

Javier Hernandez Chicharito

United have tried many strikers over the past few years- The likes of Campbell, Rossi left for more first team opportunities elsewhere, Ebanks-Blake, Brandy, etc. couldn’t fulfill the initial promise they showed, while Saha found himself Injured more often than not.

But this season has given Sir Alex a new headache, one he’s probably enjoying. United’s strike force is young, talented and all look good enough to make it at United in the long term. Sir Alex has had to loan out 3 strikers just so that everyone has a chance at playing regularly. United currently already have 3 experienced strikers in Rooney, Owen and Berbatov from whom the youngsters can learn and gain important tips from. With such a plethora of options, Sir Alex has the unenviable job of deciding who plays and who doesn’t.

United’s young strikers are Mame Biram Diouf, Javier Hernandez, Federico Macheda, Danny Welbeck, Joshua King and Will Keane. All six are very highly rated and are set to have a very bright future in football.
While Diouf, Welbeck and King have or are set to be sent out on loan, Macheda and Hernandez have a chance at impressing in the first team. Will Keane will look to build on his brilliant performances for the Academy last season with the reserves this time round.

Javier Hernandez Chicharito

Joshua King is considered the most talented; the Norwegian is strong, quick off the mark and is technically sound. He seems physically ready for the championship and should make most of his chance at Preston. He can be a handful when runs at defenders with the ball, and should do well with Preston.

Mame Diouf is the oldest of the six, and also happens to be the strongest and most physically dominant too. The Senegalese international is on loan at Blackburn and scored on debut for the Rovers. Diouf is deceivingly quick for a person of his build; he has an uncanny ability to be at the right place and is very dangerous in the box. Diouf just needs to improve on his finishing, which has been a bit erratic at times.
Danny Welbeck is set to go on loan to Sunderland; Danny is very quick and technically really good. His movement off the ball is great and he can be expected to bag quite a few goals. He’s capable of playing down the wings too. Danny is very highly rated by Sir Alex and scored on his Premier League debut for United with a brilliant strike against Stoke. He’s pretty tall and has drawn comparisons to Kanu and Adebayor due to their similar styles of play.


Federico Macheda became a household name after his injury time winner against Aston Villa, after which he also became an instant fan favorite at Old Trafford. One Season later Macheda has improved a lot and is now on the fringes of the first team, not being loaned out is a sign of the trust Sir Alex has in him and he’s expected to play some role in United’s title challenge this season. Macheda best attribute is his finishing, this complimented with his great movement and awareness in the penalty box makes him an excellent goal poacher.

Javier Hernandez Chicharito

Javier Hernandez is the latest sensation in the red half of Manchester. His arrival after the World cup and then subsequent performances in friendlies has made him the player all fans are looking forward to see play this season. The Mexican has rightfully generated this sense of expectation after excellent displays of his goal scoring ability. Drawing comparisons to Michael Owen and United Legend Ole Gunnar Solksjaer, he has a lot to live up to and Sir Alex will be smart to use his blistering pace and excellent movement initially as an impact sub, taking advantage of tired legs in the opposition, hence allowing Javier to score some goals, building up his confidence!

With the talent at Sir Alex’s disposal, it is unlikely that there’ll be any older strikers arriving at United. The talent on display is exceptional and look set to be part of the latest generation of Fergie’s Fledging’s!!

The wait is finally over for United…

The long wait is over; the 2010/11 Premier League season has begun, but Manchester United are yet to kick a ball in anger. With a Community Shield victory in the bag and an early blow over Chelsea, the Red Devils got to sit back and relax ahead of their opener against Newcastle at Old Trafford tonight. But what would you make of the opening weekend and the first round of Premier League matches?

Javier Hernandez Chicharito

Chelsea were impressive in their six-goal victory, but then again they were only playing West Brom. Manchester City hardly set the world alight against Tottenham despite spending millions and millions in the transfer market, and few United fans would have had a smile on their face when Pepe Reina bundled the ball into his own goal as Liverpool shared the points with Arsenal. So all in all not too bad, provided that United beat Newcastle as expected, but what are the hopes of the Red Devils for the new season?

The Premier League title will undoubtedly be at the top of the list. After three trophies on the bounce, United won’t want to let Chelsea have the trophy for more than one season. The Champions League is always a priority, while an FA Cup final wouldn’t go amiss either. Given the excessive spending of their neighbours, a win over City will be savoured more than ever before and United would love nothing more than to put the blue half of Manchester firmly in their place. A change of ownership may be being optimistic so I’m guessing we’ll have to settle for success on the pitch.

Javier Hernandez Chicharito And Wayne Rooney

The start of any season is always exciting, as much to see how your new signings perform as anything else. Sir Alex Ferguson has had a pretty quiet transfer window in terms of big name signatures, but there is one signing that has got the fans enthused. Many United fans will be looking to Mexican forward Javier Hernandez to provide a spark this season. 22-year old Chicarito is an exciting young talent who definitely has the potential to have fans on the edge of their seats. Mesut Ozil is another player with the same quality and United supporters will be hoping the skilful German joins before the transfer window slams shut.
The 2010/11 season will be another one filled with expectation for Man United. As celebrity United fan Eamonn Holmes says, “nothing beats a British football season,” especially one that sees Manchester United lift a handful of trophies. Whether that happens we’ll have to wait and see, but United fans will be hoping the season starts tonight with three points at Old Trafford, giving them a good footing for the long slog that lies ahead.

Javier Hernandez Chicharito

Rolling back the years: Random musings from Wembley

It’s been a long time since I’ve done one of these so I may be a little rusty but if you’re familiar with them you will know the formula.

Firstly I would like to say hello and welcome to the start of the 2010/2011 Premier League season and what a start it’s got off to beating Chelsea 3-1.

In boxing it’s common for fighters to watch tapes of opponents before fights in order to get a feel as well as little hints and tips well this is football and it looks like Chelsea chose not to. Many will say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks but when that old dog is playing like it’s in its prime it is nice to have a little heads up, something Chelsea could have done with as Scholes shone in the midfield.

If they had bothered take any notice they would have seen how well Scholes has done this preseason, from his first half against Celtic to now, pulling the strings from midfield. When United’s first goal came it was born from the boots of the ginger wizard too as he hit an awesome long pass to Rooney who was out wide on the right. The striker appeared to have swapped places with his partner in crime from last season Antonio Valencia as he laid the ball off to the oncoming winger who was left with the simple task of knocking the ball past Hilario.



Man of the match Scholes has been in fine form this preseason and if he carries it on into the season regaining the title will be that bit easier.

Wayne Rooney looked a lot more energetic for the 45 minutes he played and appears to be suffering no World Cup hangover. He got into the game, had some efforts on goal and set up Valencia for the opener. A real two fingers up at those fickle fans who felt the need to boo him whenever he touched the ball or have been giving him stick since the World Cup.

Javier Hernandez Chicharito

Michael Carrick, for all his detractors, looked good in the middle of the park. He got himself about and was solid without being spectacular. In a time where many, myself included, have found time to criticise him it is important to highlight the positive moments too.

Javier Hernandez’s introduction provided a much welcomed energy boost and he showed why he is so highly rated. He almost put Berbatov through instantly after smartly holding up the ball and waiting for Berbatov’s run. Then almost got a goal after being played in by Berbatov but fluffed his lines but the second time this happened he made sure it went into the back of the net. Slipping over as he met Valencia’s cross he (perhaps unintentionally) improvised played the ball into the Chelsea goal off his own face. Sign of a great goal scorer that, scoring with all legal body parts!

Valencia has clearly carried on where he left off last season and seemed to have fun going down the right wing and coming up against Ashley Cole. Early it seemed that Cole would be up to the challenge Valencia posed but twice Valencia got the better of him and twice United scored.

Javier Hernandez Chicharito

Good to see Dimitar Berbatov score too after some simple keep ball, really a slap in the face after it seemed United were simply running the clock down. He too has looked an improved player in preseason and I’m looking forward to see how this season pans out for him after the criticism he faced last season. Also good to see how well his goal was received by his team mates too.

I said before a win here would be good psychologically and I think the win and the manner puts us in good stead for the season, definitely looking forward to this campaign.