Wolverhampton Wanderers have been a revelation for the past couple of seasons now. Under the mentorship of dynamic head coach Nuno Espírito Santo, Wolves have just grown multifold in the last three seasons. One of their key players in this success is Raul Jimenez.
Santo, like a few traditional managers out there, has been quite particular about his players. At every position, the Portuguese manager requires a player with certain qualities. With Jimenez, he has definitely got the same.
The Mexican international is the modern game’s proper poacher. With the likes of an explosive winger like Adama Traore in the squad, Jimenez’s capacity to cause damage exponentially rises to another level.
Today we take a detailed look at what makes Jimenez so good, about the teams which could benefit from a striker like him and, of course, why he could walk into any top Champions League side out there.
Raul Jimenez Could Walk Into Any Top Champions League Side
More Than Just a Poacher
Jimenez adds a lot to the Wolves squad. Renowned across England and Mexico as a proper target man who is brilliant inside the box, there is more to the forward than just tap-ins.
Great passing capabilities and the ability to make key passes are just a few of the 29-year-old’s strengths. Apart from banging in goals for the Premier League club, Jimenez also has 74 shot-creating actions this season. This amounts to 2.62 shot-creating actions every 90 minutes.
Another attribute of the attacker is his ability to hold onto the ball. The two-time Portuguese Primeira Liga Champion has a 61% ball receiving success rate. The rate is deceiving as it is one of the top-five in the league. Also, Jimenez has a 70% dribble success rate which is a high percentage considering his role as a centre-forward.
An Assist Man in Disguise
The Mexican has 17 goals and ninr assists to his name in all competitions. The 17 goals are a decent and expected statistic, but the assists are what separates him from the rest of the strikers out there.
Jimenez is only second-best to Roberto Firmino in the Premier League when it comes to centre-forwards’ assist statistics. It is interesting and surprising to note that despite the usual top-six of the English top-flight boasting such quality in their ranks, it is the Wolves striker who has come out at the top.
He is also extremely efficient and clinical in front of the goal. In the Premier League, Jimenez has an Expected Goal (xG) figure of 14.75 and he has bagged 14 goals – which suggests his accuracy.
Jimenez and his Dream Team?
Wolves are a talented squad but on a pragmatic note, there is no doubt that Europe’s top club rankings are not changing anytime soon. There are surely bigger giants of the game who can give better exposure to the player.
Jimenez could fit in any squad which needs a bit of versatility in their front-man. The striker not only offers goals but also can create a mammoth impact in the opposition half, with his exceptional dribbling and passing abilities. Also, clubs with the world’s best full-backs could be a huge plus as Jimenez is unbeatable in-air when the crosses are sent in from the flanks.
There have also been rumours lately about top clubs being interested in the Wolves front-man. There is no bound to the kind of impact he can create if he is supported by world-class midfielders and dangerous wingers playing alongside him.
Nevertheless, Raul Jimenez could definitely walk into any top English or Champions League side right away.
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