Daniel Farke must start Joel Piroe for Leeds United after what he did v Cardiff City
Joel Piroe has to be given a starting opportunity at Leeds United after scoring the “clincher” in the 2-0 win at Cardiff City on Saturday.
Yorkshire Evening Post reporter Joe Donnohue posted on X (21 September) after seeing the plaudits Piroe was getting from United fans in the away end, having sealed the win with a well-taken late goal.
Piroe was only brought off the bench in the 84th minute, and less than 200 seconds later, the Dutchman had the ball in the back of the net, teed up by Brenden Aaronson and finishing in clinical fashion.
At full-time, Donnohue said: “Joel Piroe gets his flowers from the travelling fans at the end, which is fair enough. Leeds needed a clincher from somewhere and he’s as confident a finisher as there is at the club.”
Starting Joel Piroe can solve biggest problem at Leeds United
The Whites’ 2-0 away win at Cardiff could have been seen as a microcosm of everything both good and bad under Farke – that was, at least, until Piroe came off the bench to add the icing on the victory.
Leading 1-0 thanks to Largie Ramazani’s breakaway goal on his full debut, something of a malaise set in during the second half as United’s ball progression and forward movement slowed significantly.
Pascal Struijk missing a penalty also highlighted the lack of clinical finishers from front to back, with Piroe’s goalscoring cameo exemplifying that he is the player who can solve such issues.
While his general build-up play compared to Mateo Joseph or Patrick Bamford has been questioned, there’s no denying that when Leeds get a chance in front of goal, Piroe is the most likely to bury it.
Starting the 25-year-old from the off, particularly in matches against sides lower down in the table, could help Farke’s side to wrap such games early on, completely changing the mood of fans in the stands.
In other Leeds United news, the 49ers have enlisted external assistance to help crack the code for Daniel Farke’s side at set-pieces.
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