Jimenez heading the right way after injury

WOLVES boss Bruno Lage reckons Raul Jimenez has now got his confidence back – just under a year on from his sickening injury. The Mexican, 30, fractured his skull against Arsenal last November and did not return until August. But Lage believes the fear factor has now finally gone. He said: “It’s good he no longer has any doubts. “When you have a problem like this I imagine it is difficult to feel confident. If you had a knee problem, if you go inside and think about what you have, you don’t feel comfortable. You don’t fight for the ball in the same way.

“If you imagine a problem with your head you will not challenge in the way you are supposed to do if you’re not confident.

“But when you’re comfortable with that you can see and trust in him.”

Jimenez (left) has scored one goal – against Southampton in September – but now Lage wants more.

Ahead of tomorrow’s clash with Everton, he said: “The way he presses, the way he defends, the way he runs, is the same. He’s a top player.

“The change I can see is that he is trying to improve our competitive game in providing more inside.

“That makes sense with the goal we scored against Newcastle. But I want more from him.” Lage was on the coaching staff at Benfica at the same time Jimenez played for the Portuguese side prior to both moving to England.

The Wolves chief added: “Is he the same player from before? I think so.

“I think he gets confidence every time he plays. Against Aston Villa he went to warm up after 60 minutes and said, ‘Look at me, I want to go on’.”