By the numbers: Stats reveal Raul Jimenez is real deal for Wolves
Raul Jimenez’s first term with Wolves was brilliant – but this one has been breathtaking.
One of the most well-rounded No.9s in the Premier League, and Europe for that matter, the 28-year-old has scored goals for fun.
And here, we are taking a look at the Mexican’s campaign by the numbers.
Goal ratio
Jimenez has found the net 22 times in 44 games across all competitions – a fantastic strike rate.
In the top flight, he has scored 13 goals – three with his head, seven with his right foot and three with his left foot – and, in the process, become Wolves’ top scorer of the Premier League era.
He is now on 26 overall Premier League goals, overtaking Steven Fletcher, who previously held the record with 22.
Jimenez has had 35 shots on target in the league this term.
That is the same as Leicester’s Jamie Vardy, while only two others have managed more – Manchester City’s Gabriel Jesus (36) and Liverpool’s Mo Salah (43).
Overall, Jimenez has had 99 shots, so 35 per cent of them are on target.
Finally on the goal front, he averages one every 189 minutes in the league.
That is not as good a goals-per-minute ratio as a fair amount of the other top strikers in the Premier League – but we will get on to why that is a little later.
Assists
Not only is Jimenez a natural goalscorer, he is a provider too.
He has come up with 10 assists in all competitions, putting him joint-second of the Wolves chart with Adama Traore. Joao Moutinho is the leader, with 13.
And with six assists in the league, Jimenez is one of the most creative strikers the top flight has to offer.
The only other proper centre forward above him in terms of goals provided is Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino (seven).
Jimenez, on 19, is also joint fifth in the combined goals-and-assists chart – level with Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero.
For what it is worth, he also created 12 ‘big chances’ in the league and made 745 passes over the course of the season so far.
So, the stats back up the notion that Jimenez is a true team player as well as a prolific attacker.
Minutes played
On the aforementioned goals-per-minute ratio, this is why it is not as good as the other leading scorers in the Premier League – Jimenez has played more minutes than all of them.
He has played 2,459 minutes of top-flight football this season, which averages out as 85 minutes per game.
And when you take into account Jimenez barely had a pre-season because of winning the Gold Cup with Mexico and then playing Wolves’ Europa League qualifiers, that is remarkable.
Jimenez has played 235 more minutes than the league’s top scorer Jamie Vardy, for example.
And yes, scoring more goals in fewer minutes in the case of Vardy is mightily impressive.
But focusing on Jimenez, the numbers show just how valuable he is to Wolves – and how relentless he is, playing through a broken wrist for a year.
Only Conor Coady and Rui Patricio – having played every minute of every game, a total of 2,610 minutes respectively – have been on the pitch longer than Wolves’ star striker this term.
Jimenez scores goals, provides goals and his stamina is incredible.
It is no surprise that his name has been linked with so many top clubs as of late.
But these stats prove how vital he is to Wolves. If he was sold, he would be almost impossible to replace.
