Comment: Time for Wolves' forwards to step up

A shortage of goals at the start of the campaign (nine in 10 matches) has most Wolves fans hoping Fosun splash the cash for a Raul Jimenez replacement – or at least an alternative for the bench – in the next transfer window.

It’s known that Wolves are assessing the market for a front-man, with Divock Origi believed to be on their shortlist.

But there are two reasons why focusing purely on signing a new striker might be a short-sighted view.

Firstly, while Jimenez has only netted twice, contribution to the team is about far more than scoring goals.

The 27-year-old is pivotal to the team's style in terms of his link-up play, his strength, his positioning, his work rate, his movement and his intelligence.

Three assists is an excellent return (only nine players in the league have set up more goals) with each one the result of unselfish play in the box – teeing up Joao Moutinho (against Manchester United), Ivan Cavaleiro (against Southampton) and Matt Doherty (against Crystal Palace.

On each occasion he had his back to goal, six-to-eight yards out, and set up his team mate.

In fact he should have had a fourth last weekend when he cleverly flicked to Doherty, who sidefooted inches wide at Brighton.

Jimenez is integral to unlocking those doors in the final third and to dispense with his services for a more clinical, selfish striker who would prefer to loiter around the penalty area playing off the last man would take a lot away from Wolves' play.

Plus his end product stats of two goals and three assists total the highest contribution of any player in the squad.

So, to finally get to 'secondly', instead of jumping to the conclusion that a new striker can solve Wolves' goalscoring woes, it's the guys either side of Jimenez who just aren't delivering at the moment.

Last season Diogo Jota, Ivan Cavaleiro, Helder Costa and Adama Traore scored 36 goals between them in the Championship, plus a further 33 assists.

So far this season? Two goals and zero assists.

Yes the step-up in class is considerable. But for four players of such talent and, yes, work rate, you expect far more.

Costa (10 starts) and Jota (nine starts, one sub appearance) have featured far more prominently than the other two, playing for 745 and 717 minutes respectively. That's a shade longer than 24 hours in total...for no goals and no assists.

Traore has played 250 minutes (one start, eight sub appearances) and scored the winner at West Ham, while Cavaleiro has only featured for 86 minutes from four substitute appearances, netting against Southampton just seconds after coming on.

You can certainly excuse Cavaleiro, who's returning to full fitness following a debilitating back injury.

The other three, though, aren't playing to their potential, with Costa and Jota appearing to lack confidence and Traore having dropped off after a flying and explosive start in those opening weeks.

There are slight tweaks in the formation that aren't helping their cause (Jota will certainly miss Barry Douglas creating a diversion with an overlap to the byline and the midfield pairing are playing deeper).

But when it comes to running at the opposition, producing a killer final pass or even getting a shot away at goal (Doherty, Neves and Bonatini are ahead of the quartet in their shots-per-game averages), Wolves' forwards simply have to step up to the mark.

Otherwise it won't just be a central striker that ruthless Fosun/Wolves are looking for in January.

2017/18

Diogo Jota – goals 17, assists 5, appearances 43 (1) –

Ivan Cavaleiro – goals 9, assists 12, appearances (31 (11)

Adama Traore – goals 5, assists 10, appearances 24 (8)

Helder Costa – goals 5, assists 6, appearances 21 (15)

2018/19

Diogo Jota – goals 0, assists 0, appearances 9 (1)

Ivan Cavaleiro – goals 1, assists 0, appearances 0 (4)

Adama Traore – goals 1, assists 0, appearances 1 (8)

Helder Costa – goals 0, assists 0, appearances 10