Why Javier Hernandez Will Be Key To David Moyes’ Success At West Ham
West Ham fans were in a rather sombre mood when the news of David Moyes’ appointment came out but nobody may have been as worried as Javier Hernandez. The duo goes back to its days at Manchester United, and the Old Trafford faithful still consider Moyes as the reason behind Hernandez’s departure from the club.
Lovingly known as Chicharito, the Mexican was United’s most dependable and entertaining super-sub. Whenever the club seemed to lack power on the field and needed goals, Sir Alex Ferguson sent Hernandez on and the player hardly ever failed to disappoint. He was a true-blue fan favourite. But once David Moyes took charge at the club, Hernandez was loaned to Real Madrid after failing to cement his place under the former Everton manager.
Now, Hernandez has received a new lease of life in the Premier League with West Ham, after joining them this past summer for £16m. However, he got injured while on international duty and that does paint a worrisome prospect for the player. If his injury keeps him out of too many of West Ham’s games, it might be impossible for him to regain lost ground, especially with Moyes in charge.
Regardless of what happened at Manchester United, the fact remains that Moyes does not have a strong strike force right now. If he is to take West Ham to greater heights, he will need all hands on deck and more importantly, he will need Chicharito.
West Ham are not a poor squad; they just need to be more balanced and that is what Moyes’ primary duty will be. He needs to understand that the solution is to bring in one or two more players to add depth to the squad and not do a complete overhaul by getting rid of players like Hernandez.
The fact that Chicharito managed to score 4 goals in 11 appearances in a team that has otherwise been poor, goes on to show his intent and talent. The West Ham fans love him and Moyes cannot afford to irk another set of fans by getting rid of a player they love. Moreover, Hernandez has the experience needed to truly impact a club in a positive manner. Moyes needs to trust him and deploy him more often to save the club’s reputation and his as well.
Given the current situation, Moyes will need to identify Hernandez’s potential and indispensability in the squad. Once in form, the former Manchester United super-sub can score anywhere between 10-15 league goals a season and that kind of support will be crucial to the extent of Moyes’ success at West Ham.