OPINION
Seven goal thrillers are only ever thrilling if you win them.
For a long time on Saturday afternoon it looked as if West Ham were going to crash and burn to lowly Huddersfield Town before a late resurgence saw them pick up all three points in a stunning 4-3 win.
There were a multitude of heroic performances in that late fightback – and a fair few dodgy ones too – but there was one man who stood out above the rest.
Javier Hernandez was arguably drinking in the last chance saloon before Saturday’s match. The little Mexican had hit just one goal in his previous nine outings for the Hammers before the win over the Terriers, and to say patience was wearing thin would be an understatement.
With Marko Arnautovic waiting in the wings, it was becoming increasingly difficult for Manuel Pellegrini to justify selecting a striker who simply wasn’t striking.
That changed massively on Saturday, however, with the 30-year-old more than repaying his manager’s continued faith in him.
There has never been any doubting Hernandez’s finishing ability. The forward is as good as any in the league at sniffing out chances in the box and putting them past the keeper, but there have certainly been question marks over his application in recent times.
Saturday’s display, however, was the performance of a player who was determined to make an impact for his side.
Two headed goals in the last ten minutes to turn a match on its head and to rekindle fading hopes European qualification is exactly the kind of battling mentality that the Hammers have been crying out for for much of this season.
Hernandez might have been in the last chance saloon, but when the pressure was on, he came good.
