Wolverhampton Wanderers head coach Gary O’Neil made some positive signings during the summer transfer window, but he has yet to see the fruits of his labour.
After nine Premier League matches this term, the Old Gold have drawn two and lost seven, failing to win a single game as they currently occupy 19th place in the table.
In fairness, the club faced Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Manchester City during the opening period of the campaign. A tough start indeed.
The Molineux side did show plenty of fight to rescue a point against Brighton and Hove Albion on the weekend, scoring twice in the dying minutes and this should give O’Neil some confidence that they are on the right path, even if results don’t necessarily show it.
Despite the influx of players during the summer, it was one of the stars from last season who came up with the goods against the south coast side last week – Matheus Cunha.
Matheus Cunha’s season in numbers for Wolves
Last season, the Brazilian was arguably Wolves’ key player as they managed to avoid a relegation battle, finishing in 14th place, although they did secure wins over Man City and Chelsea throughout the campaign.
Cunha scored 14 goals for the Old Gold to end 2023/24 as the club’s highest scorer, and he is carrying that form into the current campaign.
Despite the Midlands side struggling domestically, the former Atlético Madrid star has scored four goals in the opening nine league matches of 2024/25, including the late equaliser against Brighton last weekend.
If the forward can continue to score over the next few weeks, Wolves might secure their first three points of the season, especially with a run of slightly ‘easier’ fixtures to come against Crystal Palace and Southampton before the next international break.
It isn’t just his goals which make Cunha a vital cog in the Wolves’ machine, as the Brazilian loves to create chances for others, as evidenced by the fact he has already created five big chances and averages 1.7 key passes per game in the top flight.
The 25-year-old also succeeds with 1.7 dribbles per game – a success rate of 58% – allowing him to get the better of the opposite defence, thus creating space to generate either a scoring chance or to assist a teammate.
Metric
2023/24
2024/25
Goals
12
4
Assists
7
0
Big chances created
7
5
Total shots per game
2.3
3
Key passes per game
0.9
1.7
His contribution to the club since August 2023 cannot be underestimated and it Wolves do suffer relegation at the end of the season, he will surely have no shortage of potential suitors looking to snap him up next summer.
Now, if goals can come from other sources, the Old Gold may just move away from the drop zone in the coming weeks. If only they had a striker who was able to chip in with goals on a regular basis. Someone like Raul Jimenez, for example…
Raul Jimenez's record at Wolves
The Mexican striker emerged as somewhat of a cult figure during his spell at Wolves, especially with the form he displayed across his first couple of seasons.
Having joined the club from Benfica in the summer of 2018 on a season-long loan deal, Nuno Espírito Santo agreed a £30m deal with the Portuguese striker ahead of the 2019/20 campaign.
Over those two seasons, Jimenez scored a total of 40 goals for the club, including ten in the Europa League, as the Old Gold reached the quarter-finals of the competition.
This was as good as it got for the Mexican star, however, as the following three seasons saw him score just 13 goals in all competitions as he bravely battled back from a skull fracture, among other ailments, which saw the 33-year-old miss 54 games in total.
It was clear his future at Wolves was bleak, and he was sold to Fulham for just £5m in the summer of 2023.
Considering he was entering the final few years of his career; it looked like a decent decision by the club. 18 months later, however, could the Old Gold regret letting him leave for such a small fee considering how impressive he has been in London?
Raul Jimenez’s stats for Fulham
It took a while for the player to get going at Craven Cottage, but he ended up netting seven times in 24 Premier League games last term. A hamstring injury meant he missed a chunk of the campaign.
It now looks as though he has put all his problems behind him, enjoying a wonderful start to the current season for the Cottagers. Indeed, five goals across 11 games in all competitions suggest there is life in the old dog yet.
With Cunha having scored four times for Wolves, Jimenez is even outscoring the Brazilian. Might the club rue letting him leave last year?
Like the current Wolves centre-forward, Jimenez has also contributed in other areas. Not only has he created four big chances, but the Mexican international averages 0.9 key passes per game while grabbing an assist.
Jimenez is also still shining for his country, scoring against the USA in a recent friendly between the two nations, and he was praised by coach Javier Aguirre in the process.
“He came back very well [from his injury], very well. He’s scored goals, he’s made assists. He looks mature and in good form, having completely overcome his injury. I think he is definitely a leader for us.” Said the manager post-game, and it looks as though Jimenez is enjoying an Indian summer.
Where Are They Now
Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast's Where Are They Now series.
If he carries on his current form over the next few months, Fulham could secure a top-half finish in the Premier League for only the second time since 2012.
Wolves’ loss has very much been Fulham’s gain, especially with the striker going through a purple patch right now.
Wolves wasted £26m on Nuno flop who earned way more than Cunha does
Wolverhampton Wanderers wasted lots of money on this dud.
ByKelan SarsonOct 30, 2024