Has he finally turned a corner this season? He was disappointing in previous ones given the hype. Every time I watched Wolves he looked like someone who did well for you but no big club would want to spend a serious fee on.
Raul Jimenez
- Thread starter Samid
- Start date
Raul Jimenez would be a dream signing for us.
1) Proven Prem Scorer
2) Experienced in the English Game
3) A direct alternative to Martial for different style of game
4) He's got a few years left at the top level. Perfect for a team of young players.
He's a class player.
1) Proven Prem Scorer
2) Experienced in the English Game
3) A direct alternative to Martial for different style of game
4) He's got a few years left at the top level. Perfect for a team of young players.
He's a class player.
I mean, in my view the only thing that should scupper this deal is the money. The age thing is something I actually view as valuable; I want our back-up striker to be an experienced 9, good enough to deliver when we need him to while at the same time not causing issues when he isn’t playing. You can’t really expect us to sign a 22 year-old back-up striker and expect him to stay for years in that role. If he’s happy to do that then he probably isn’t good enough to even be in the squad.
It’s just a shame Wolves aren’t poor and he’s got good time left on his contract.
Of course nobody would mind us signing a striker like Jiminez, Mandzukic etc for a reasonable fee. But unless you've already got a brilliant team, spending big money on these sort of non top class players makes no sense especially if they're heading into or well into their 30s.
So the money part is a crucial reason to consider and doubt this deal.
He'd be a good buy for 60m and I think the difference between us being around 3rd and challenging for the league.
If we could get Jimenez, Sancho and Grealish I would back us to challenge for the league.
He wouldnt be a backup either, we'll be playing twice a week in elite competition, Martial cant play all the games.
For me its about ambition - are you happy with Ighalo to start in the league or more confident with Jimenez?
If we could get Jimenez, Sancho and Grealish I would back us to challenge for the league.
He wouldnt be a backup either, we'll be playing twice a week in elite competition, Martial cant play all the games.
For me its about ambition - are you happy with Ighalo to start in the league or more confident with Jimenez?
It's not just about ambition. It's also about priorities. While I think our attack has been our Achilles heel for years, I don't think simply adding multiple attackers will make us title challengers. We need an attacking fullback option IMO and more quality in deep areas in midfield. Matic is our CM capable of really building from deep and he's getting on now. Pogba, Fernandes and Grealish is a whole of of flashy sexy stuff in midfield but nobody who is genuine playmaker and can build attacks well from deep. We don't have that playmaking CM whether as a DM or CM, other than, as I said, Matic to an extent.
So you can have ambition in many ways other than signing an expensive 29 year old CF who we'd likely have to replace in 2 years.
Are you assuming we won't sign Sancho?
Because if we sign Sancho, Greenwood would be on the bench. And if we play Jimenez as our first option off the bench, or first option from squad rotation, Greenwood may even go back to reserve, when everyone's fit.
I see Jimenez as a non priority signing, akin to Van Persie, who would elevate us beyond what we are all expecting for next season. Not in terms of his playing ability, but the fact that he would add an additional 'starting option' for our attack.
We cant rely on Ighalo or James as starting options, they should be impact players.
I also see him being good for another 4 years.
Greenwood also operate comfortably on either flank. We also use 3 substitutes. 5 if the current rules hold. Those 2 and any new attacking midfielder would 9/10 times be the first subs brought off the bench.
I don't think he fits the team. A lot of his goals are from crosses. We don't really do those. We rely more on combination play.
The 5 subs rule has been confirmed for next season already and I agree in general with your point but one of the first subs would also be Matić if we sign a new DM or train Fred in the role.
Have you seen his combination play with Jota? Also I think for the reason you mentioned is why Ole wants this type of striker. Hes said it a few times that he would like a different type of striker as an option
Jimenez is a good player, but I'm not sure we should be spending money on another striker.
Really hope we target a midfielder after we secure Sancho.
Really hope we target a midfielder after we secure Sancho.
If we get him, we are going all out for a title charge next year (assuming we sign Sancho as well) and our standards have to be held to it.
Not at all. We need someone better than Lindelof and a proper cover/ competition for Matic before mounting a title challenge.
I’m happy with our striking options, having players that can Put the ball in the net is not our problem, it’s creating the chances and controlling games that is
60m or whatever the price is needed elsewhere
What would change? we’d still look nervous at the back and we’d still struggle with controlling games
All day, couldn’t agree more
we have quality finishers, he’d be a luxury that we literally can’t afford
I dont think we are spending that on a 29 (?) year old while looking 2 or 3 years down the line.
I think we are building up the criteria for a title challenge a little too much in our heads.
Greenwood will be first team regular regardless who we sign. He is pure gold.
Is he really that good? I know he came with huge potential, but of the limited viewing I’ve seen of Wolves I’ve always been more impressed by Moutinho — who, whilst a bit old now, has always been very underrated throughout his career, I feel.
Thats very ideal thinking. But truth is, when everyones fit, the 2nd choice forward bench option wouldn't play as many games as you may like to think. Just look at Ighalo in last couple of months, how many games he played for us when everyone is fit?
But we only play with 3 forwards. Sure we can't have 4 or 5 first team regular forward regardless? Someone has to make way. Sure there will be squad rotation, but I just don't see Ole would make drastic change to starting line up every other week. He will have his favourite 3, then the other 1 will make alot of sub appearance, or even start in less important or easier games, then finally the 5th choice would sit patiently on the bench until someone got injured. That's how Ole managed his team, unless you think we will have another new manager next season who likes to rotate alot.
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It just depends on who we sign over the next two months. If he doesn’t trust players it is up to him to sign a few he will. Also he will rotate more next season cause he knows it’s a long season and he can’t keep it up by playing the same XI. Hopefully he has learned his lesson.
If Ole has viable options he will definitely rotate and has said often that competition for places, especially up front, is crucial. He will rotate based on form, fixture programme and for tactical reasons. Greenwood will play a lot of games and probably more often than not.
Ighalo is not a priority. Greenwood is. It's like people believe in this day and age rotation won't take place when a club has a very strong bench. The only time top clubs don't readily rotate is when their bench lacks the quality in the first XI.
its like our fans are scared of rotation and competition. We are supposed to be one of the biggest clubs in the world. We ideally should have 2really good players fighting for every position in our team.
indeed
Agree , there are valid reason not to go for or sign a player but saying that he is too good to sit on the bench and could impede other players getting game time etc is not one of them.
Players fighting for positions is what drives and improves standards at clubs and a club like Utd who should be going all out in all competitions there will be always be enough games for all who are impressing and good enough to get game time.
I’m not quite following.
exactly. Eventually Sell the worse player not getting games if they want to leave or don’t want to compete and get someone else in who can eventually make the position their own. It’s just survival of the fittest and an insurance policy against injury and loss of motivation or form. It’s planning from a position of strength rather than weakness especially as no player is bigger than the club.
Don't really think we'll spend the big bucks on a squad depth signing but happy to be proven wrong. It's a pretty steep drop off in quality for any side that's not City (Firmino vs Origi, Werner vs Abraham / Giroud, Lacazette vs Nketiah, Kane vs ?? etc.)
Jimenez is class and might even look better than Martial in our side in terms of link up play in the short term but I think Ole rates Martial and he will be the starting #9 next season. Ighalo is adequate back up. There's more important positions that need strengthening.
Jimenez is class and might even look better than Martial in our side in terms of link up play in the short term but I think Ole rates Martial and he will be the starting #9 next season. Ighalo is adequate back up. There's more important positions that need strengthening.
Sure, but the whole point of this thread is, if we signed Jimenez, on top of Sancho signing, one of Greenwood or Jimenez would become 2nd option from the bench for the forward position. For squad depth its always good to have more quality, but in reality one of the bench options, if he think he is good enough, wouldn't be very happy in long run.
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If we signed Sancho, we will already have this.
LWF: Rashford, James, (Sancho, Martial can also cover)
FW: Martial, Ighalo, (Greenwood, Rashford can also cover)
RWF: Sancho, Greenwood, (James can also cover)
Unless you think we need 3 players specifically for each position (and 5 players to cover for each position too), but that will seriously unbalance the team and affects team morale, leaving too many unhappy players fighting for a position on the bench.
So we shouldn’t eventually try and improve on James?
what if any 2 of the lads get injured or lose form at the same time?
Ighalo is also leaving in Jan.
I think there’s space for at least one more good young attacker in our group. 2 if James doesn’t develop this year. The best thing about already having a solid core of players is we can take a punt while we are strong. These players aren’t coming in to save us. It’s less pressure and hopefully more value all round. We can afford to walk away if the deal isn’t right. Also our standards rise as it’ll take a pretty special player to break into the team if who we currently have are playing to the best of their ability. It’s a win win for the fans. The players should embrace the competition and be thankful for the rotation rests which should keep them at peak level for longer.
Im hoping for a left footed attacking player to provide something different to rotate with Rashford on the left.
a more aggressive box striker with good finishing when Ighalo leaves. Rotate Greenwood there if martial gets injured or loses form.
Sancho and Greenwood would be RW sorted for years to come.
Theres plenty of matches especially if we want to have a good go at the cups. This run in should show everyone how valuable it is to not have to play the same lineup in every match. Apart from the obvious fatigue issues fairly average teams started figuring us out by the end. Hopefully we can get some freshness into midfield and defence too. It’s exciting times surely if the board do their job this summer.
what if any 2 of the lads get injured or lose form at the same time?
Ighalo is also leaving in Jan.
I think there’s space for at least one more good young attacker in our group. 2 if James doesn’t develop this year. The best thing about already having a solid core of players is we can take a punt while we are strong. These players aren’t coming in to save us. It’s less pressure and hopefully more value all round. We can afford to walk away if the deal isn’t right. Also our standards rise as it’ll take a pretty special player to break into the team if who we currently have are playing to the best of their ability. It’s a win win for the fans. The players should embrace the competition and be thankful for the rotation rests which should keep them at peak level for longer.
Im hoping for a left footed attacking player to provide something different to rotate with Rashford on the left.
a more aggressive box striker with good finishing when Ighalo leaves. Rotate Greenwood there if martial gets injured or loses form.
Sancho and Greenwood would be RW sorted for years to come.
Theres plenty of matches especially if we want to have a good go at the cups. This run in should show everyone how valuable it is to not have to play the same lineup in every match. Apart from the obvious fatigue issues fairly average teams started figuring us out by the end. Hopefully we can get some freshness into midfield and defence too. It’s exciting times surely if the board do their job this summer.
I feel like I've heard this before, Spurs fans used to say the samething.
We should but you are wanting to bolster the squad when the first 11 needs investment first
Sancho
1st choice CB
CM
after that I don’t think we’d have the fund to buy him
He's good but not a player that we desperately need and I feel we are being used to smoke out real potential buyers, we have way more pressing issues than a striker this window, I think we'll look at the position in January when Igalho likely goes back to China.
ITK