Why Chelsea FINALLY Turned A Corner.
Fulham may now see the benefits of Raul Jimenez starring for Mexico on international duty this week.
The £5.5m striker arrived at Fulham in the summer from Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Fulham were once again slow to act in the transfer window and the 32-year-old was the first player to arrive at the club.
He’s since been joined by six more senior signings although it’s not been an awe-inspiring transfer window for Marco Silva’s side.
Jimenez arrived when speculation was continuing to mount around Aleksandar Mitrovic’s future at the club.
After two rejected bids, the Serbian eventually headed to Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal for £50m.
Many fans were hoping that money would be invested in another striker before the window closed but were left disappointed.
After arriving at Fulham off the back of a goalless season with Wolves, Jimenez has finally found some form with Mexico.
He found the back of the net three times in friendlies against Australia and Uzbekistan.
Given Silva’s current forward options, the pressure is on Jimenez to now hit the ground running following four starts without a goal already this season.
Fulham forward Jimenez stars for Mexico
There are few Premier League sides with weaker forward options to choose from this season.
Alongside Raul Jimenez, Jimenez can call on Brazilian pair Carlos Vinicius and Rodrigo Muniz.
Vinicius took time to adapt to life at Fulham last season but ended up playing 28 times in the Premier League, scoring five goals and providing two assists.
Those numbers are slightly misleading given he was mainly used as an option off the bench.
There was even talk that he might leave this summer although that has proved not to be the case.
Rodrigo Muniz has been Silva’s chosen alternative up top this season ahead of Vinicius despite a disappointing loan spell at Middlesbrough last year.
He’s never scored a top-flight goal in England and Jay Stansfield might feel slightly hard done by that he’s been loaned out while Muniz stayed at the club.
Jimenez is Fulham’s best chance of regularly scoring goals and he showed with Mexico that he’s capable of still doing that job.
On paper, he fits the Mitrovic mould but he’s failed to play his best football for several seasons now.
If Marco Silva can help him rediscover those levels, then it’ll be yet another feather in the Portuguese’s cap as he continues to try and get the best out of a team despite those above him at the club failing to provide him with the required level of support.
