It was his second goal, and Fulham’s third, that brought true release for Raul Jimenez.
There was the deft control to bring the ball down, the strength to shrug off his marker, the clever touch to round the goalkeeper and then the nous to backheel it before the defender could snatch it.
But most telling of all was the leap and howl of delight that followed, in front of an ecstatic Hammersmith End. Goals may be a striker’s currency but confidence is their lifeblood. It is all flowing freely now. “It’s really fantastic,” says Jimenez. “I needed this, and a night like this.”
A fantastic bit of flair from Raul Jimenez 🤩
The Mexican scores a back-heel to put Fulham 3 goals clear at Craven Cottage 🇲🇽 pic.twitter.com/eUy6DNzzet
— Amazon Prime Video Sport (@primevideosport) December 6, 2023
This was a night that could prove a catalyst for him and his new team. Nottingham Forest offered very little resistance but Fulham were in no mood for charity. This was their most complete display of the season, full of the vibrancy that elevated Marco Silva’s team to 10th place last season and the craftsmanship that brought lots of goals.
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Crucially, they found their ruthless touch, ensuring that a run of 10 goals from their 12 opening matches has been replaced by 11 in three — the first time in the Premier League that Fulham have scored at least three goals in three consecutive games.
“We have been playing really well recently,” adds Jimenez. “And tonight, we showed what we can achieve. We’re full of confidence.”
The Mexico international went 33 league matches without scoring a goal in the Premier League, a run dating back to March 2022, before he found the net against Aston Villa last month. Since then, he has appeared liberated and on Wednesday he was able to find his eye for goal in front of the home supporters.
“I hope so,” he says, when asked about the pressure on him lifting. “I am going to keep pushing for that. There is not pressure, but there is always going to be something on me. Because I’m the striker. I need to score, to produce for the team. I need to keep going like this and keep pushing hard to achieve more.”
Signed from Wolves for a fee in the region of £5million ($6.3m), he arrived as a competitor for Aleksandar Mitrovic and became his replacement when the Serbian left for Al Hilal. Mitrovic’s presence at Fulham was totemic and it was his task to fill the void. “I had to put that to one side,” he says. “I know he was a really important player here, he scored a lot of goals in the Premier League and the Championship. But I’m here to make my own history.”
He says he has not felt the pressure but with Fulham struggling for goals, and his goal drought extending into life at his new club, it was inescapable. Resolving Fulham’s goalscoring problem has been the story of the season. “I read almost everything,” he says. “But I don’t mind. I take everything in a good way. I keep the focus on myself.”
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It had an effect. “I’ve had conversations with him, he has never shown to me that he was under pressure, but inside I knew how he was feeling,” said his manager Silva. “When everything looks dark, the sunshine will come again. He kept always the same intensity in training sessions. His commitment and attitude were always there.”
Jimenez says his family are his biggest support, but it is clear his team-mates have been willing for him to succeed. “They needed this night as well,” he says. After his first goal of the evening, he was congratulated by every outfield player and the collective delight at that moment, including on the terraces, was obvious. Against Villa, his breakthrough goal was an unserenaded consolation but at Craven Cottage he was able to celebrate properly.
“We’re happy for him, he’s deserved it, he’s been working hard,” said Calvin Bassey. “His last two performances have been amazing for us. He couldn’t get a goal on Sunday at Anfield but his hold-up play was great and he scored two today. We are buzzing for him. Hopefully, they keep coming.”
Silva described Jimenez’s commitment and effort as “unbelievable” at Anfield during Fulham’s 4-3 defeat, with particular praise for his link-up play and duels. While the goals have not been flowing, he has adapted quickly to his new team’s style of play. “I like to play like this,” he says. “I’m not a striker that only stays in the box or is there at the top of the pitch, waiting for the ball. I like to drop deeper. It was easy to adapt. It’s a new style and I’m going to keep fighting.”
Leaving Wolves and finding a fresh start in west London was an important decision for him. “I had five fantastic years at Wolves, but I think it was time for a change,” he said.
“Marco Silva was really important because I spoke with him before making the decision. He called me. He told me he wanted me and that was the important thing for me to decide to go to Fulham.”
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Jimenez has now scored three goals in his past four Premier League appearances, the same number he managed in his previous 47. This was his third brace in the Premier League overall and his first since January 2020 (for Wolves against Southampton).
His goalscoring form will not end discussions about Fulham’s striker position. They will want a long-term solution given Jimenez is 32 and will need stronger competition as well. But his goals do mean he is scoring in line with expectations (three goals from 3.3 expected goals this season), and if he continues to find his feet in the coming weeks, then it will alleviate the winter pressure. He wants to kick on.
“Confidence arrives when you start doing good things,” said Jimenez. Fulham will hope it is here to stay.
(Top photo: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
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