Fulham manager Marco Silva has commended striker Raul Jimenez following another disappointing defeat against Aston Villa. Silva, addressing the club’s official website after a 3-1 loss at Villa Park, highlighted that individual errors continued to plague Fulham, causing them to slide further towards the relegation zone.
The match saw Antonee Robinson inadvertently scoring an own goal, giving the hosts an early lead, followed by John McGinn doubling the advantage. Ollie Watkins sealed the game in the second half, missing opportunities to score more.
Despite the overall setback, Fulham displayed improvement in the second half, offering a glimmer of hope in the final 20 minutes. Notably, Raul Jimenez ended his goal drought against Aston Villa, providing a positive note for Fulham.
Silva believes Jimenez’s goal will relieve some pressure on the Mexican striker. Although signed for £5.5 million as a replacement for Aleksandar Mitrovic, Jimenez faced criticism due to a poor recent goal-scoring record, having gone 33 league matches without finding the back of the net.
Fulham fans are hopeful that Jimenez’s goal against Villa marks the beginning of a return to the lethal form he displayed at Wolves. Silva acknowledged the challenges of enduring a goal drought in the Premier League and expressed optimism about Jimenez contributing crucial goals in the future.
Silva hinted at a potential January transfer for a striker, with Santiago Gimenez linked to the club. However, negotiations could be complicated as Gimenez is currently participating in the Champions League.
While Jimenez shares a stylistic resemblance to Mitrovic, he has yet to reach the same levels of consistency. Carlos Vinicius and Rodrigo Muniz are alternatives when fit, but neither has established themselves as a consistent top-flight goal scorer. Jimenez is seen as having the potential to fill that role, and there are expectations for him to demonstrate it after the international break.
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