How the Raul Jimenez injury has defined Wolves season

Raul Jimenez runs off in celebration. (Photo: Wolves)

Wolverhampton Wanderers have seen their form drop in recent months, with only one win in 11 games after the absence of key striker Raul Jimenez.

Since joining Wolves in 2018, Jimenez has scored 34 Premier League goals, more than any other Wolves player during his time at the club.

The Mexican fractured his skull, after a nasty head clash with Arsenal’s David Luiz, in the 15th minute of Wolves’ clash against the Gunners at the Emirates Stadium on November 29th. Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo admitted the head injury suffered by Raul Jimenez was “traumatic for everyone” at the club, and that the forward will be out for an unspecified period of time having undergone surgery on a fractured skull.

Wolves went on to win the game against Arsenal 2-1 seeing the Wanderers rising to sixth in the Premier League.

After the long-term loss of Jimenez, Wolves have seen their form drop dramatically falling from sixth to 14^th, only winning one of their last 11 leagues games. During the 11 games Jimenez has missed, Wolves have struggled for goals. They have been kept scoreless in five games with nine of their 10 goals coming from set piece situations.

A Wolves side who were flying high in sixth with European ambitions at the end of November, now see themselves down in 14^th after seven losses, three draws and just the singular win. This leaves them nine points from the relegation zone and 10 points from the European places.

Having only played 10 games this season, Jimenez is still Wolves joint leading goalscorer alongside Pedro Neto with four. Fabio Silva, who has a 40 million price tag on his shoulders, has provided a couple of decent cameos scoring two, but at an age of 18 he is very inexperienced and a different type of striker compared to Raul Jimenez.

Daniel Podence and Pedro Neto have both tried to fill the boots of the striker, but have yet to make an impact. Wolves did recall Patrick Cutrone from his loan at Fiorentina to fill the void left by Jimenez, but he has now been allowed to leave the club again, with him sent out on loan to Spanish side Valencia.

Wolves have been active during the January transfer window with Willian Jose da Silva brought to the club on loan from Real Sociedad until the end of the season. The Brazilian striker has scored 62 goals in 170 La Liga appearances since joining the La Liga side in 2016, with six goals in the current 2020-21 season. The club has the option to buy the 29-year-old in the summer.

This signing will provide an extra option in attack for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side.

European hopes seem to have gone for Wolves as they sit in the bottom half of the table. They will look to get their season back on track, as they face an inform Arsenal side at Molineux. It will be a tough task for Nuno’s men as the Gunners are seven games unbeaten in the league.

Willian Jose, who played 90 minutes at the weekend in his sides 1-0 away loss to Crystal Palace, is set to get his home debut against Arsenal. The 29-year-old will be looking to open his Wolves account, and to help his new side move back up the table.