Wolves announce signing of Jimenez replacement, but who is Willian Jose?


After months of struggling to find the back of the net, highlighted further still by their narrow 1-0 win over National League North outfit Chorley in the FA Cup, Wolves have signed a replacement for the injured Raul Jimenez.

Nuno's side managed just one shot on target against their semi-professional opponents on Friday night, with Vitinha's 35-yard match winner representing Wolves' only shot on target. It was just their third win in 11 matches since losing the talismanic Jimenez to a horrific injury against Arsenal at the end of November, two of which have come in the cup.

Step forward Willian Jose, the man tasked with replacing the Mexican's goal threat for the rest of the season as Wolves - having spent heavily on youngster Fabio Silva in the last window - looked for a short term alternative. Indeed, Willian arrives on a loan deal until the end of the season having fallen out of favour at Real Sociedad.

The 29-year-old has started just nine of 20 appearances in all competitions this season, with a modest four-goal haul all coming from said starts. That strike rate is in keeping with much of his time in Spain, where he has been a steady and reliable source of goals, if never posting spectacular returns.

In his four previous seasons with La Real, Willian's top scoring league season came in 2017/18, with 15 goals, but in that time - prior to this season - he has always reached double figures. He's in esteemed company in that regard, with only three other players scoring at least ten goals in each of the previous four LaLiga campaigns - Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Iago Aspas. It's a feat that the likes of Antoine Griezmann and Karim Benzema cannot boast.

 

 

Much of the Brazilian's goal threat stems around his ability in the air, and the focal point that he should offer to Wolves should be a real boost. Without Jimenez, they've lacked an out ball at times and had problems connecting their impressive support cast, which the Mexican has done so well over the years.

Willian's height means that they should be able to mix up their play and go more direct at times, as well as offering a target for the likes of Adama Traore, Pedro Neto and Daniel Podence to find in the box. It's no coincidence after all, that Traore has struggled to replicate his form from last season, which was so reliant on his link up and understanding with Jimenez. The Spaniard is yet to register an assist in the league this season, having managed nine last, of which seven were for Jimenez, and usually his head.

Indeed, no player scored more headed goals than Wolves' injury-stricken striker in the Premier League last season (5), so Willian's prowess when it comes to converting crosses should come as a huge bonus. While they've dried up a little, perhaps more in keeping with a change in approach from Real Sociedad than a drop off from the striker, Willian has scored 16 headed goals during his time at the club. Only Maxi Gomez (17) has scored more in that time in Spain's top-flight.

Moreover, his link up play, averaging around a 75 per cent pass accuracy and registering 15 assists in his four-and-a-half seasons in Sociedad, are not to be sniffed at either.

 

Wolves announce signing of Jimenez replacement, but who is Willian Jose?

 

The one area he falls well short of Jimenez as things stand is his work rate off the ball in pressing from the front, though again this could be perceived as a stylistic consequence rather than any assumed laziness on Willian's part. That said, he's made just 45 tackles and interceptions combined in his aforementioned spell with Real Sociedad, which is a tally Jimenez bettered in his first season leading the line for Wolves (56 in 2018/19).

Nevertheless, Wolves appear to have identified a striker with a similar attacking profile to their missing man on a budget, the main concern will be that unlike Jimenez, Willian's best form appears to be behind him.

 

The question will be whether he can adapt to English football with the speed and ease that Jimenez managed. That will no doubt be a tough ask.

Wolves announce signing of Jimenez replacement, but who is Willian Jose?