When the clock is ticking away, a super sub is just what any manager orders. The type of player that comes on with fifteen minutes to go, when his team is down, and masterfully changes the game.
The Premier League has provided a stage for numerous players to write their names into English football folklore, whether their goals stopped their club from being resigned to relegation, or won them that all-important title.
It's hard to think of a better super sub than Ole Gunnar Solksjaer at Manchester United - the Norwegian striker was hailed by Sir Alex Ferguson as the best substitute ever - his razor sharp instinct, and ability to come up with a crucial goal often proving to be the fine line between success and failure.
How many times did he rescue his team? When he did, he did it with style including one 4-goal haul against Nottingham Forest. Remember the 1999 Champions League final against Bayern Munich? You can't get more super than that!
Now, Manchester United have a new super sub in the form of 23-year-old Mexican hitman Javier Hernandez. Despite arriving at Old Trafford less than two years ago, 'Chicharito' has already moved up to joint second in the club's top scoring substitute charts behind the aforementioned Solksjaer.
His equalising goal in the recent 3-3 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge was Hernandez's 10th strike in only 30 United appearances from the bench, drawing him level with Ryan Giggs, while Solksjaer's 28 substitute goals came from 150 bit-part appearances.
Solksjaer's impact was down to the intense way he studied the game from the bench and was able to take advantage of any defensive frailties he saw, and Hernandez seems to have the same ability, but he is at a loss to explain why he has been so effective.
"I don't have the answer to what makes me effective as a substitute," he told United's official website. "In football you can always come up with a reason for anything, perhaps it is nothing more than having a little bit of luck.
"I just know if I play one minute, or 10, or 90, I try to play the same way. My mind is always to do my best and help my team.
"The only thing I can change is my attitude. I can do everything that I want with that. There are parts of the game I cannot do anything about. But I can ensure my attitude."
Despite scoring regularly for United this season, Hernandez still finds himself battling with Danny Welbeck and Dimitar Berbatov for a starting spot alongside Wayne Rooney in the United attack. But whilst some players may complain about being stuck on the bench, you won't hear any complaints from him.
"I don't care if I am on the bench," Hernandez added. "Last year I was on the bench for a long time. I still got into the team at the end of the season.
"Every player in every team wants to play as many minutes as possible, but I don't care if I start or I'm a substitute. I just want to enjoy it. I am living a dream to play for Manchester United."
Other players to have graced the super sub 'hall of fame' include David Fairclough for Liverpool, Ronnie Rosenthal for Tottenham and Tore Andre Flo at Chelsea.
GMF takes a walk down memory lane to remember players past and present who have regularly come off the bench to save the day
The Premier League has provided a stage for numerous players to write their names into English football folklore, whether their goals stopped their club from being resigned to relegation, or won them that all-important title.
It's hard to think of a better super sub than Ole Gunnar Solksjaer at Manchester United - the Norwegian striker was hailed by Sir Alex Ferguson as the best substitute ever - his razor sharp instinct, and ability to come up with a crucial goal often proving to be the fine line between success and failure.
How many times did he rescue his team? When he did, he did it with style including one 4-goal haul against Nottingham Forest. Remember the 1999 Champions League final against Bayern Munich? You can't get more super than that!
Now, Manchester United have a new super sub in the form of 23-year-old Mexican hitman Javier Hernandez. Despite arriving at Old Trafford less than two years ago, 'Chicharito' has already moved up to joint second in the club's top scoring substitute charts behind the aforementioned Solksjaer.
His equalising goal in the recent 3-3 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge was Hernandez's 10th strike in only 30 United appearances from the bench, drawing him level with Ryan Giggs, while Solksjaer's 28 substitute goals came from 150 bit-part appearances.
Solksjaer's impact was down to the intense way he studied the game from the bench and was able to take advantage of any defensive frailties he saw, and Hernandez seems to have the same ability, but he is at a loss to explain why he has been so effective.
"I don't have the answer to what makes me effective as a substitute," he told United's official website. "In football you can always come up with a reason for anything, perhaps it is nothing more than having a little bit of luck.
"I just know if I play one minute, or 10, or 90, I try to play the same way. My mind is always to do my best and help my team.
"The only thing I can change is my attitude. I can do everything that I want with that. There are parts of the game I cannot do anything about. But I can ensure my attitude."
Despite scoring regularly for United this season, Hernandez still finds himself battling with Danny Welbeck and Dimitar Berbatov for a starting spot alongside Wayne Rooney in the United attack. But whilst some players may complain about being stuck on the bench, you won't hear any complaints from him.
"I don't care if I am on the bench," Hernandez added. "Last year I was on the bench for a long time. I still got into the team at the end of the season.
"Every player in every team wants to play as many minutes as possible, but I don't care if I start or I'm a substitute. I just want to enjoy it. I am living a dream to play for Manchester United."
Other players to have graced the super sub 'hall of fame' include David Fairclough for Liverpool, Ronnie Rosenthal for Tottenham and Tore Andre Flo at Chelsea.
GMF takes a walk down memory lane to remember players past and present who have regularly come off the bench to save the day
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