Many great strikers aren't necessarily suited perfectly for playing on the counter. Atletico can allow for Mandzukic because they have Griezmann to provide that outlet.
He's better than Hernandez at controlling the ball, involving himself in the play and holding up the ball, hugely important traits to have as the lone forward. If you compare their goal records, he's actually just as good at putting the ball in the back of the net, to be honest. Perhaps better.
When it comes to Hernandez, people have a tendency to inflate his finishing ability as a result of his wider limitations. Rooney has been putting away more difficult chances for years but we'll still find a few nutters on here that reckon Hernandez is the best finisher at the club.
We don't live in an age whereby the art of scoring goals is undervalued, but we, and managers involved in the game as of now, certainly see the need for having a balanced, rounded centre forward that can do a bit of everything.
As for Mandzukic, he isn't a mid table striker in the slightest. Like Hernandez, he'd make for a worthy squad man, but ultimately not the man you would rely on to carry the can up top. It's why Atletico will strive for better than the pair of them.
When the team is going to play basically all the big games on the counter, having a striker that possesses close to no threat on the counter is an issue. Griezmann plays deeper than him, having him as the main threat on the counter, and main ball carrier causes them problems to no end.
He's better than hernandez at controlling the ball, but is still mediocre at it. His hold up play is not exceptional, all these qualities that he's better than hernandez at haven't stood the test when he's been put up against quality defenders or defensive set ups. He also doesn't play as a lone forward, Griezmann is there and despite being the deeper man, has been the main source of goals for Atletico this season.
Hernandez barely plays, so comparing his goal record to other players is pretty pointless. Its in these moments that an eye test works better than just stats. Hernandez is a bigger goal threat than Mandzukic, it really is that simple.
Well, hernandez isn't the greatest finisher out there, but what sets him apart is his movement and positioning. While the likes of rooney may have the technique to score the more difficult goals, hernandez will earn the easier ones, regardless of what sort of match it is. He's a threat in every phase of play and most of these forwards nowadays are liable to being nullified in certain types of games. Anyways, mandzukic isn't the sort to score the difficult chances or create space for himself to score so that's irrelevant.
Precisely where teams are getting it wrong and players who are proven to be ineffective in the final third like welbeck are seen as some great loss to our club. Fact is goals win games, and having someone that can score in pretty much every type of game makes for a great asset. Having someone who can easily be nullified leading your line just won't end well, especially in the bigger games where the finer details count for so much more. Build a team strong enough to handle the build up without needed the help of hold up play from the striker, and a hernandez becomes more valuable to a team all this fantastic all round game that's going around.
