Farke decision looks even more baffling as footage emerges of Joseph in Leeds United v Valencia
Mateo Joseph’s goal and overall performance for Leeds United against Valencia showed that Daniel Farke was wrong to avoid using him more often last season.
The striker opened the scoring at Elland Road after just 14 minutes, and the Whites soon posted a replay of the goal on X [3 August], as Joseph cut inside two defenders before slotting into the bottom corner.
Joseph’s performance in the pre-season friendly staked a huge claim to be United’s main striker in the coming campaign, and after under-using him during last year’s promotion run-in, Farke simply cannot avoid the clamour to give Joseph a starting berth.
X user Jibber Jabber posted on the platform: “Farke really did fumble it at the end of last season.
“All of us who were angry that Joseph didn’t get a fair shake sure look mighty vindicated now – I think we’d have gone up had we given him the keys post-Chelsea.”
Mateo Joseph simply has to be the go-to striker for Leeds United
Barring a late injury, Farke risks alienating the entirety of Elland Road if next week’s team sheet against Portsmouth doesn’t have Joseph’s name among the starting XI.
While the German’s reluctance to use Joseph at the end of last season can somewhat be understood given Joseph’s inexperience of first-team football at the time, the new campaign brings no such excuse.
While Joel Piroe has also impressed in pre-season, Joseph’s four goals and a 90-minute blockbuster against Valencia made it clear to Farke that he must be the man to lead the line against Portsmouth.
Both Piroe and Patrick Bamford came off the bench late against Valencia, but neither replaced Joseph, who stayed on for the entire match and running Los Che ragged alongside the excellent Georginio Rutter.
The pair expressed a chemistry and understanding on a level not seen when the Frenchman plays with Piroe or Bamford, and that puts yet another tick in the Joseph column for 10 August’s season opener.
Hindsight does suggest that Farke “fumbled” United’s promotion bid with his (lack of) use of Joseph last season, but with the new campaign fast approaching, the 20-year-old is front and centre for all to see.
In other Leeds news, the Whites could face stiff competition to sign another highly-rated midfielder who has been tipped to “go far”.
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