The big debate this season for Manchester United supporters has been whether David de Gea or Anders Lindegaard should be the first-choice goalkeeper, but there is an equally appealing debate at the other end of the pitch.
Danny Welbeck has been a revelation this season, his exceptional form leaving last year's big sensation Javier Hernandez on the bench for much of the campaign. The debate now rages around which of two incredibly gifted young strikers should partner Wayne Rooney up front.
Both players certainly have the credentials to lead the line at a club like United. They both have good, yet similar records, Welbeck with nine goals in 25 appearances and Hernandez with nine goals in 26 appearances. Virtually nothing to separate them in that regard, but their style of play is quite contrasting.
Based on that, which one deserves to be first-choice alongside Rooney?
Welbeck left United last season as a boy and returned from Sunderland in the summer as a man. The development to his physique proved beneficial for success in the physical style of the Premier League. He can now battle with defenders and force himself into a good positions.
It has also aided him in build-up play, holding off defenders to maintain possession and get his teammates involved.
He does everything you want from a center forward. Welbeck is quick with a good touch and just the slightest bit of flair. He works hard to get others involved in the attack, contributing to the build-up play.
On top of all that, he does what a striker should do: He score goals.
Welbeck is an underrated finisher. His goal against Manchester City in the FA Cup was simply spectacular, twisting it and hitting it on the volley into the top corner of the net. Not only was it the finish of a great striker, but it also demonstrated the confidence required of a great striker.
A few weeks later, he showed he also had good positional awareness, scoring the winner late against Arsenal by getting himself into the box, creating space and hammering the ball into the net with his first touch before defenders could respond.
He has an excellent repertoire of goals, from the spectacular to the simple, and obviously the best strikers are the ones who can do it all.
Perhaps Welbeck's greatest attribute, however, is his determination to chase down the opposition. He does not allow the opposing defense a moment's rest, constantly running and harassing players in an attempt to get the ball or make them play a careless pass. He tracks back and does his part to win back possession.
This is something that is lost when Hernandez is in the team. Hernandez is the prime example of a poacher, and a very good one at that. He plays right along the defenders, attempting to break the offside trap with intelligent runs and blistering pace.
Rarely do you see Hernandez track back to defend, nor does he get substantially involved in the build-up play. That is not a slight against him, it simply isn't his job.
His greatest contribution to the team is when he is in the box providing a target for his teammates, and that is surely where the manager wants him to be. Hernandez has an uncanny ability to get into good positions and is an excellent finisher once he gets an opportunity. He gets a lot of easy goals doing that, and any manager would want that player hovering around the goal at all times.
There is no denying his ability to be in the right place and the right time, but he fails to add much else to the team. You want Hernandez in and around the box, and he would be wasted anywhere else. Welbeck, on the other hand, can contribute beyond that.
Another concern is Hernandez being consistently flagged for offside. When he has a poor game and the runs are slightly mistimed, he struggles to contribute.
There's no doubting that this tactic does work, and when it does, he's in on goal. His goal against Chelsea at Old Trafford last season in a fantastic example of why it's a useful tactic. However, when it doesn't work, there is rarely a "Plan B."
In the big games, there is simply no overlooking Welbeck in favor of Hernandez. When United are playing against talented sides, all 11 players need to contribute in all areas of the pitch.
A striker like Welbeck, who harasses defenders, tracks back to defend and contributes to the build-up play, has a bigger overall contribution to the team. Hernandez does not offer the same, playing off the shoulder of defenders, trying to sneak in with a run to break the offside trap.
That's not to say Hernandez has no place in the team. Old Gunnar Solskjaer made a career as a "super sub," and Hernandez shows great potential to thrive in such a role. He came on against Chelsea as a substitute and wreaked havoc with his pace and movement, finding himself an incredible amount of space to head home the equalizer.
Welbeck does not seem as suited to come off the bench, while Hernandez does an excellent job at getting in sync with his teammates and finding their rhythm. It doesn't take much for him to come in fresh and find space to beat tiring defenders with his pace.
Hernandez and Welbeck will both get their fair share of starts in the coming seasons. They each offer something different that Sir Alex Ferguson can utilize depending on the opposition. Welbeck has the technical ability to contribute in the build-up and works hard tracking back, while Hernandez can beat defenders with his speed and movement alone.
Both are terrific players that United supporters should be grateful to have, but only one can start alongside Rooney, and especially in the big games, it has to be Welbeck.
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