Journalist Dean Jones has been left confused with Bruno Lage’s decision to drop star striker Raul Jimenez, speaking in the build-up to Thursday's clash against Watford.
The Lowdown: Jimenez’s omission
The Mexico international has been the talisman since arriving at the Molineux Stadium on loan in 2018, before joining the club in a permanent deal worth £30 million a year later.
The 30-year-old has netted an impressive 53 goals in 137 appearances, 39 of which have come in the Premier League.
However, Jimenez seemingly appears out of favour under Bruno Lage, who dropped the striker to the bench for their recent fixture against West Ham, bringing him on for the final nine minutes of action.
More surprisingly, he was dropped once again in Wolves following league clash against Crystal Palace. Again, he was brought on as a substitute, featuring for 27 minutes.
The Latest: Jones’ claim…
Jones has weighed in on the situation, having been left confused with Lage’s decision to drop his star man, who has scored five Premier League goals this season.
Speaking with GiveMeSport, he claimed:
“Even if Jimenez isn’t scoring goals, you have him in the team as an outlet if nothing else. You can’t play Podence through the middle.
“As a defender or even midfielder sometimes you want an out ball and a guy you can stick the ball up to hold the ball up, bring others into player and the next phase begins from there.
“Jimenez is one of the best at that, so it’s very strange [he has been dropped].”
The Verdict: Likely to start again soon?
Whilst Jimenez’s tally this season has not compared to either of his previous two double-figured seasons in the Premier League, the Mexican offers far more to the team than just goals.
The striker has added defensive attributes to his game to add to Wolves’ style of play. According to FB Ref, over the course of the past year, Jimenez ranked in the 81st percentile for tackles, the 89th percentile for interceptions and the 85th percentile for blocks made for players in Europe's top five leagues.
With Wolves failing to score in the previous two games that the 30-year-old didn’t start, it may be likely to see Jimenez lining up for his side’s upcoming fixture against Watford, as the Wanderers continue their push for European football.
In other news: Wolves: Journalist concerned about star duo’s contract situation