Raul Jimenez has put the Jay Stansfield debate to bed

The topic of Jay Stansfield threatened to bubble on like a forgotten kettle after the former Fulham youngster bagged two in midweek for Birmingham. With Fulham looking a bit lacklustre up top in the season’s opening stages, that conversation was inevitable. Five goals from five isn’t terrible, sure – but given the fixtures, fans were expecting more than just a goal a game.

But Raúl Jiménez has come along, took that kettle, made a drink, and calmly declared, “hold my coffee.” And just like that, he’s put all that Stansfield talk to bed. His spin and clinical finish for the opener on Saturday was the mark of a seasoned Premier League forward. The guy has more top flight goals than Stansfield has had hot dinners. But this isn’t a piece about whether selling Stansfield was right – we’ve had that discussion. It’s a “can Raúl keep doing Raúl things and make us forget we ever had that conversation?” piece.

Spoiler alert: he can.

Jiménez now has two starts and two goals, and each finish has been its own kind of tasty. The first? A calm, cool tuck-away of Emile Smith Rowe’s pull-back. The second? A beautifully messy, instinctive smash, turning an untidy Adama Traore cross into a clinical finish. It’s the kind of goal only a seasoned striker can conjure – turning half-chances into magic.

And yet, somehow, Jiménez still hasn’t fully won over the Fulham faithful. Maybe it’s because he’s not young and full of promise like Rodrigo Muniz or Jay Stansfield. Let’s be honest, there’s something irresistible about watching a fresh talent light it up for Fulham. But there’s also nothing wrong with the older guy at the party who’s seen it all and still knows how to dance. Jiménez, at 33, still moves with the sharpness of someone a decade younger. His enthusiasm? Still very much intact. Every Fulham attack sees him on the hunt, his movement is razor-sharp, he’s always looking for openings.

Last season, Muniz’s blistering form kept Raúl out of the lineup, but Jiménez now boasts eight goals in his last 11 starts for Fulham. That’s not just solid form – it’s the kind of stat you print on a mug. It’s pre-head injury, prime Jiménez form. Let’s not forget, the only reason he lost his place wasn’t his poor form, but a suspension.

With Muniz proving himself more than capable at this level, Fulham are well stocked in the striker department. But for now, it looks like it won’t be R9 leading the line, but R7. And as long as Raúl keeps doing what he does best – scoring goals and silencing doubters, one assured finish at a time – the Stansfield conversation will stay well and truly tucked away.