Javier Hernandez is living the dream

Posted Saturday, August 06, 2011 by ESPN

Next, it was United club legend David Beckham's turn to explain Chicharito's remarkable freshman year in Manchester. "I think there's many people that have been surprised at the way he's performed and the goals he's scored, but he's a great player so he's taking his chances," Beckham said in a press conference. "I think it's great the way he's adjusted to playing in a different country, a different style of football. But great players can do that."

Javier Hernandez is living the dream
Nani and Javier Hernandez celebrate United's record 19th league title.

All Beckham could offer by way of elucidation is: "He works hard. So, he's going to be successful."

Before Hernandez's arrival at Old Trafford but after superstar Cristiano Ronaldo's departure in the summer of 2009, the burden of carrying United's offense had fallen squarely and heavily on Wayne Rooney's shoulders. At first, this begat a spell of mesmerizing play, when fans anointed him the world's third-best player, behind Ronaldo and Barcelona's Lionel Messi. But by March 2010, the wear and demand had broken Rooney down, leading to a forgetable World Cup, injury and a protracted contract squabble.

Rooney struggles continued in the first half of last season, but as Chicharito's influence and minutes grew after Christmas, so did Rooney's form. The addition of Hernandez made United better at two positions, his own and Rooney's.

"I think we suit each other, our styles of play," Rooney recently told ESPN.com. "Obviously, I enjoy playing a little bit deeper, off the center forward and he likes to make runs in behind and when he does that he stretches the defense and creates a lot more space for me to get on the ball and try to score goals or assist goals. So I think the way we both play we create more space and chances for each other."

Rooney is understandably fond of Chicharito, admitting with a smile that he refers to him simply as "Chicha." "He's a great player and he's a lovely person as well," Rooney said. "So he's a great addition to our team."

It's that depth that Chicharito brings that has given United the threat that has perhaps been missing since Ruud van Nistelrooy left for Real Madrid in 2006. "You can see that he's a kind of an old-fashioned striker," former Arsenal standout Thierry Henry said of Hernandez. "That's all he wants [to do] -- score goals. He wants to be in the 6-yard box, he's waiting for a defender to make mistakes. He's always aware that the ball's going to come to him and that's what he's working for."

Hernandez, for his part, is coy about his influence. "The only thing in my mind is to work hard every day, to keep improving, to keep learning, to do all my best for the team," he said. "If I score goals then I will score goals. It's in second place to all my effort for the team."

"I keep living in a dream," he said.

« Previous 1 23Next »