OPINION
As Mexico continue to thrill football supporters at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, Javier Hernandez has proven he must figure in West Ham’s plans.
When Javier Hernandez, commonly known as ‘Chicharito’, was brought to West Ham from Bayer Leverkusen in July 2017, there were high hopes for a player who’d performed so well in the Premier League previously at Manchester United.
Things didn’t quite go to plan for Chicharito last season with the Hammers being involved in a relegation scrap, the then manager at the London Stadium David Moyes preferred to play Mark0 Arnautovic centrally, with the Mexican often pushed out to a wide position.
The thinking was that the 30-year-old wouldn’t be able to play up top on his own, as he lacks the physicality and ability to hold the ball up, something that Arnautovic can provide.
He made 28 appearances in the league for the London club last season, scoring eight goals, and while that’s a decent return from a wide position, he’s capable of more (TransferMarkt).
However, the former Manchester United striker is playing the lone striker role for Mexico in the 2018 World Cup in Russia, and is leading the line exceptionally well.
He drops off and links with the midfield, holds the ball up for his teammates and looks a real threat in that position, especially on the counter-attack, with defenders seemingly unable to deal with his movement and tactical awareness.
With Manuel Pellegrini coming in as Moyes’ replacement, the new boss’ tactical system would suit Hernandez really well and I think he’d score a lot more goals than he did last season, with Arnautovic possibly moving to a wide position to accommodate the switch.
Time will tell what the new Chilean manager thinks of Chicharito, but if he’s been watching the World Cup, he should have a much clearer idea of what the Mexican is capable of.