Javier Hernandez Will Continue to Flourish as Substitute with Real Madrid

Javier Hernandez has had an up-and-down career as a catalyst off the bench, but he seems to have found his perfect situation with Real Madrid.

Chicharito spent four seasons with Manchester United, scoring at least 10 goals in league play in three of those years. The English Premier League club mostly used him as a substitute with his ability to score in a hurry, but he could never get the sustained success he wanted in this role.

After a disappointing 2013-14 season, the forward was shipped to Real Madrid on a season-long loan. While he will likely be used in a similar role with the loaded Spanish club, this already seems to be a better situation for the 26-year-old player.

Hernandez came on for Real Madrid in a blowout win over Deportivo, scoring two goals in an 8-2 win. His first score for the club came on a stunner from just outside the box, courtesy of Fox Soccer:

AS joked about how good the shot was:

Dermot Corrigan of ESPN FC broke down the player's second goal of the day:

It is hard to be too impressed with anyone after two late scores when the match was already out of hand. The opposing defence was clearly not having a great game and became even worse in the final minutes when the contest became a laugher. An opponent with more focus will certainly be tougher to score against.

That being said, Hernandez has already showcased skills never on display at Manchester United, via Squawka Football:

He will have more freedom in this dynamic attack and should be able to use his natural talent to have even more success than we have seen in the past. 

The forward is also coming into his new spot with more confidence than ever before. He explained to Claro Sports why he was held back at Old Trafford, via Ben Burrows of Mirror:

"

There was no confidence. I remained patient and that’s why I’m here today. It was a very tough year especially because they didn’t believe in me. [...]

I really want to make the most of my time here. Any footballer dreams about joining Real Madrid. I know I'm here for a reason. The statistics support me, I'm a good player and a good person.

"

A new club will give him a fresh start and a chance to live up to his expectations.

Most importantly, the talent around Hernandez is unlike anything he has ever played with at club or national level with Mexico. Stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, James Rodriguez and others will ensure an open pitch with defenders being forced to make choices of who to defend.

Giving a quick player like Chicharito room to run and an open look at the net could be all he needs to get himself onto the scoresheet.

Even with a slow start to the season, Karim Benzema's presence on the squad will prevent Hernandez from getting too many starts at striker. However, he is in good position to resume his role as a super-sub with a better team than he has ever seen.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid can feel confident about having a quality scorer off the bench capable of making an impact in big matches throughout the season. With the team in contention for multiple trophies, this depth is important.

It is still too early to call this loan a success, but Hernandez is primed for an excellent season in his new location.

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