Javier Hernandez Signs

[SirStoneyOfBow]

Today his was seemingly being played as a target man which is not what he’s about if fair. Service was absolutely **** all match, but he looks like he has no heart in it at West Ham. Whether it’s because Moyes doesn’t fancy him or not I can’t say because he was looking lost when Bilic was still around, but I think we should sell up and get something for him this window. My personal opinion.

[westhamlinnet]

Again a player bought with no transfer structure in place he cannot and never will be able to play on his own up front.I remember when we beat man u in league cup at Upton Park spector scored a couple he played that day in a weakened team and he looked weak in same system. Same as zabletta who buys him to play wing back we need a director of football as a matter of urgency we cannot keep wasting our meagre transfer budget on sullivan incompetent whims.I believe buys will improve as long as moyes and his experienced coaching team are given a say and time.I feel however sullivan will always want control and his incompetence will win the day

[DaveWHU1964]

Having invested (I know) in it and thus being able to set the team up right with solid defensive foundations to allow Hernandez to be the cutting edge of a half decent team and he'd be just fine. You don't have the previous record that he had for good / great clubs and country unless you're a very good player.

As we're not going to do any of that then it's just not going to work for the lad here.

His attitude had looked wrong at times and yesterday he stunk the house out but I still feel sorryy for him. I doubt he came here with a bad attitude - I think it would have quickly developed once he realised that the team's set-up was never going to play to his strengths and subsequently he'd struggle here. He's made a wrong career choice and we've signed the wrong sort of striker given our needs. I'd be surprised if he didn't want out.

[ryanrc]

Again a player bought with no transfer structure in place he cannot and never will be able to play on his own up front.I remember when we beat man u in league cup at Upton Park spector scored a couple he played that day in a weakened team and he looked weak in same system. Same as zabletta who buys him to play wing back we need a director of football as a matter of urgency we cannot keep wasting our meagre transfer budget on sullivan incompetent whims.I believe buys will improve as long as moyes and his experienced coaching team are given a say and time.I feel however sullivan will always want control and his incompetence will win the day

Absolutely correct, we have no plan, structure or style. If we back Moyes in the summer and it doesn't work out, do you think our owners have a list of managers drafted up who would fit the same style and use the current crop effectively or back to the scattergun approach?
What do Grant, SA, SB and DM have in common? not a lot other than their availability.

[fmgod]

We aren't going to be able to shift him unless a China/MLS or some lunatics come in, no one will be able to match his wages.

[Hockley Hammer]

Not a terrible signing but a completely wrong one nevertheless.

'We've signed a player who has played for Manchester United and Real Madrid'

A soundbite like 'We have England's number one keeper at the club'

Sounds great as Boardroom chat - but totally pointless.

I thought Valencia was lightweight but Hernandez makes him look like a man mountain.

[Marky]

Not a terrible signing but a completely wrong one nevertheless.

'We've signed a player who has played for Manchester United and Real Madrid'

A soundbite like 'We have England's number one keeper at the club'

Sounds great as Boardroom chat - but totally pointless.

I thought Valencia was lightweight but Hernandez makes him look like a man mountain.

He is a terrible signing:
Lazy
Slow
Weakling
Poor in air
Sulker
Overpaid

[Bill]

Messi would struggle to score at West Ham the way we are playing.

[Hockley Hammer]

He is a terrible signing:
Lazy
Slow
Weakling
Poor in air
Sulker
Overpaid

I agree with every word. But anybody who thought he was a terrible signing when it happened should be involved in our recruitment.

I don't know anybody who was unhappy when it was announced.

It has definitely turned out terrible so far.

[fmgod]

I was really happy when we signed him, I was a bit worried about him being a mercenary but so is Tevez etc I thought once all the pitch he would give his all.

[sendô]

Wow this thread.

He's not been great, but many seem desperate to get him out of the door, when only a few weeks ago most of the accusations aimed at Hernandez were also being aimed at Arnautovic.

He's a good option when used right, we just need to find a way to use him right.

[fmgod]

The problem is Sendo, we can't really afford for him to be an option, he is on what 140k a week, our record, he needs to be "the man" so to speak, he needs to be our payet, our talisman, instead he is putting in minimal effort when on the pitch,

[Clacton-ammer]

Said it last year, he is currently overweight, when he runs he looks to be in sand.

Saying all that, he does need service, but - when we have given the occasional service to him with balls crossed between the penalty spot and 6 yard line, he is off the pace due to I believe, his fitness.

He needs to get fit, and we need to play to his strengths, it's all a bit of a cock up presently.

[DasNutNock]

He's a good option when used right, we just need to find a way to use him right.

That'd require a major squad overhaul, which isn't going to happen.

[sendô]

Well, yes, but then in truth we need a major squad overhaul. We won't get one though, we'll just sign a couple more "named" and try to shoe-horn them into the team.

[Colours never run]

It's amusing to me to see someone like Hernandez described as a terrible signing and list everything apparently wrong with him like he's one of the worst signings ever. I wonder what the same people writing him off once thought of Tevez when he genuinely got off to an awful start, only to turn it on for the last part of the season. Hernandez has at the very least (which isn't only what he's done) has scored 4 goals and played a big part in assisting another. But all I'm really hearing is how dogshit he is for us and that he doesn't give a f*** at all.

Maybe it's just me that sees the qualities he has even in the limited time he does play for us and when he is given scraps to work with. But for sure I'm in the minority on this so maybe I'm seeing it completely wrong with Hernandez.

[DasNutNock]

Well, yes, but then in truth we need a major squad overhaul. We won't get one though, we'll just sign a couple more "named" and try to shoe-horn them into the team.

Yup. In Sullivan's world, spending big on a fading name makes more sense than spending carefully on an up & coming player.

[DasNutNock]

I wonder if he'd have stayed on the pitch if he'd had one of his teeth kicked out yesterday.

[sutts07]

Messi would struggle to score at West Ham the way we are playing.

Aurnautovic is managing it, so I am sure Messi would too... It is amazing what a bit of effort can do you know.

There are many things that a striker with no service should be doing... Drop short, show for the man on the ball, run the channel, press defenders and keepers into making mistakes...

Hernandez stands in the middle of the park with his back to a CB and waits to be kicked so that he can go to ground. On the rare occasions that both him and the ball are in the box, he hides at the far post hoping for a break but never attacks the ball.

You have to make something happen as a striker.

[Colours never run]

There are many things that a striker with no service should be doing... Drop short, show for the man on the ball, run the channel, press defenders and keepers into making mistakes...

Hernandez stands in the middle of the park with his back to a CB and waits to be kicked so that he can go to ground. On the rare occasions that both him and the ball are in the box, he hides at the far post hoping for a break but never attacks the ball.

You have to make something happen as a striker.

I think he is doing these things you say he isn't doing in games and watched him like a hawk yesterday like I usually do looking to see if he was trying or not. And what I saw was of him chasing down the opposition in possession, coming deep, going long, fighting for the ball when it came near him and always showing for it even when it was for balls he was unlikely to win in the air. He seems like a Team player to me. My main criticism of him in yesterday's game was how far apart both he and Ayew were to one another where I can level blame at both players failing to link up better. Was Ayew meant to be playing up front alongside him or in midfield as I was finding it difficult to tell?

I remember on one particular occasion he dropped deep in to our own half and ****ed the ball cleverley 1st time out to Masuaku and then turned bombing forward with the intention to hopefully receive the ball back over the top once Masuaku saw the run. However Masuaku tried to play a tight pass down the line instead that was never really on and the ball goes out of play which frustrated me let alone Hernandez as I saw what he was trying to do. I saw him on other occasions chasing after defenders with the ball putting pressure on them, other occasions fighting for the ball and winning free kicks getting us further up the field, only for the delivery to be poor once again.

I do however think he looks for free kicks too easily at times and does play up to it looking for a foul but it isn't for the want of trying to win us back possession.

I do see a frustrated figure cut out there most times he plays as he appears willing to do well for the side yet we still can't find a way of involving him more in games or supply him with the kind of ammunition he usually thrives on. Where I will agree with others is our service just hasn't been anywhere near good enough. But rather than ship him out because we struggle to get him more in the game, I want us to adopt the attitude of we will find ways and better players that will give him more of what he thrives on in the box.

And what I would have given to see him at the Club at the same time as Payet was here. My God, it would have been a dream. I had hoped Lanzini would have been that man but it's not worked that way thus far. A shame as the potential seems to be there if they both played more regularly and with a Strike partner alongside Hernandez. How often have they played in a 352 for that to happen though? He's either been shunted out wide, or up top on his own for the most part and the link up play has been almost non existent in that regard.

Not that you have, I wouldn't describe him as being lazy and do think he tries hard for the sake of the team.

I don't want us to give up on Hernandez as I believe he is the kind of Striker we've been looking for and want to see how we get on next season (and the last half of this) once we hopefully avoid the drop this one. If at that stage he still can't click with us then ok, move him on.