Mexican star enjoying a hot streak
MEXICAN striker Raul Jimenez is managing to convince himself that everything is sunny in Wolverhampton right now.
Seventh in the table after three straight wins, what’s not to like apart from the weather?
It was bitterly cold – more sombre than sombrero – and Jimenez must have felt like reaching for a big hat if only to keep the rain out of his eyes.
It lashed down from start to finish but the No.9 still managed to put in a real old-fashioned British-style centre-forward display.
The 27-year-old says he’s loving life in England after his fifth goal of the season helped put Wolves within a whisker of the big guns.
Jimenez admitted he’d been given a weather warning before he agreed to join on loan from Benfica. Wolves are now in talks over a £30m deal to make the move permanent.
He said: “It’s too cold but if it means we win all our games, when the weather’s straightforward tap-in. Ivan Cavaleiro’s stoppage-time second sealed it but it only came about because of the Cherries’ desperation to try and salvage things.
You had to feel a bit sorry for them really. They had plenty of ball and moved it around well but just failed to land their punches.
Junior Stanislas thumped one free-kick against the bar, but that was largely it.
It’s one win in seven now for Eddie Howe’s men but keeper Asmir Begovic says they can’t afford to think everything has gone wrong.
He said: “A couple of moments cost us. Obviously the second goal was just one of those things that happens at that stage, but the first one was a mistake and we seem to be getting punished for every little one we make at the moment.
“That’s the way it goes – good spells, bad spells. We’ve just got to keep working hard and turn it around.
“We’re trying to stay positive – it’s not a case of thinking everything is against us.
“We’re playing well. The worst thing you can do is go away from what you do best.”