Ex-Premier League scout makes clear Leeds United relegation claim as major question raised
Leeds United will be under no illusions as to the size of the task that is facing them as they try to survive in the Premier League.
Daniel Farke’s side flexed their muscles on several occasions last term as they raced to the Championship title, but it is already becoming clear to them that the top flight is an entirely different beast.
Leeds suffered a narrow defeat to Tottenham in their last outing, in a game that served as another timely reminder of how ruthless the top level of English football can be.
The Whites gave as good as they got at Elland Road, but came away with nothing to show for their efforts, which cannot become a familiar feeling for them.
Leeds United won’t score enough goals to stay up
Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s difficult start at Leeds has compounded their struggles in front of goal so far this term.
The West Yorkshire outfit have already been shut out in three of their opening seven league games, and they have found it hard to punish opposition teams at times.
Farke’s charges rank fifth in the xG table after the latest round of games, which highlights the fact that they must improve in both boxes if they are to start picking up the points that their displays have warranted.
Ex-Premier League scout Bryan King – speaking exclusively to MOT Leeds News – believes that the Whites are not scoring enough goals at the moment to keep them in the division.
“It’s a whole different ball game from the Championship to the Premier League,” King said.
“The pace of the game is different, the defenders are a lot better now, and you’ve seen over the past few years how teams that win promotion have problems staying up.
“If they don’t score goals, they aren’t going to win matches, and that’s what leads to these teams going up and then coming down again.
“When you step up from the Championship, players are expected to do more. I look at Leeds and I think, ‘Are they really good enough to stay in the Premier League?’ And I don’t think they are.”
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Joel Piroe may hold the key for Daniel Farke’s side
Joel Piroe has hardly featured for Leeds so far this season, with his lack of top-level experience proving to be a concern among the club hierarchy over the summer.
- Piroe hit 33 Championship goals across the last two campaigns
- He has notched 19 or more league goals in three of the last four seasons
However, the Dutchman is prolific at Championship level, and he could potentially hold the key to his team beating the drop if he can make an impact when gets into the team.
Leeds are struggling for goals, and the 26-year-old is by far the best natural finisher at the club.
Clear-cut opportunities are few and far between in the Premier League, and simply must be put away when they do present themselves.
With that in mind, Piroe could be crucial for Leeds, and Farke needs to try and get him into the team as quickly as possible.
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