Leeds United: Joel Piroe issued Patrick Bamford warning after flop in attack vs Leicester City
Joel Piroe has to score more than Patrick Bamford if he wants to get his place back in the Leeds United starting XI says Paul Robinson.
The summer signing from Swansea spent the first half of the season in an attacking midfield role while Daniel Farke opted to play Georginio Rutter up front, but when the German brought the club-record signing back deeper he dropped Piroe for Bamford.
The Englishman responded with a sudden explosion of scoring form but ex-England keeper Robinson has pointed to his regular injury issues as leaving the door open for the Dutchman to get back in.
However, after a profligate performance from the latter in the dramatic 3-1 win over Leicester City on Friday night (23 February), only to see Bamford return sooner than expected from injury and net again late on, Piroe has been warned he has to step it up.
Speaking exclusively to MOT Leeds News Robinson said: “He’s part of a squad that’s doing extremely well, that’s looking for promotion to the Premier League. They started the season with Piroe and Rutter as alternate nines, one in behind the other. Two false nines if you like, neither really were a nine.
“He was given an opportunity at the start of the season. He scored a lot of goals and did very, very well. But Patrick Bamford’s come back into the side and he’s made a real difference and scored goals.
“When a striker does that in your position you’re not going to leave him out of the team so he’s just a victim of somebody else playing better than him in his position in all honesty.
“But he’s part of an extremely good, strong squad. We know about Patrick Bamford’s injury record. We know he can’t be relied on for a full season and you saw at the start of the season that Piroe and Rutter will be utilised in those positions.
“I don’t know what Piroe is thinking, whether he wants to play as a nine, whether he wants to play out wide, or just wants to play in the team anywhere.
“If he wants to play as a nine, when he’s given the opportunities he’s got to perform at the same levels that Patrick is and score the goals that he is.”
Patrick Bamford responds after Joel Piroe dropped by Daniel Farke at Leeds United
Now that Bamford has been given the opportunity and run with it, notwithstanding his latest injury lay-off, few could argue with Farke starting him when he’s fit.
Piroe may well feel hard done by that the chance went to the Englishman in the first place, given he was under such pressure having not scored all season until January and the new arrival was being played seemingly out of position.
Piroe had still contributed 11 in all competitions prior to the end of 2023 anyway, but while he looked to be taking advantage of Bamford’s injury by registering a goal and assist in two starts against Swansea and Plymouth Argyle respectively he dropped the ball against the league-leaders.
His wayward first-half attempts were part of an oddly slack performance going forward, with the likes of Willy Gnonto and Crysencio Summerville also disappointing, and the dramatic turnaround following Farke’s introduction of Bamford and Dan James will likely helped cement the new status quo.
In other Leeds United news, Phil Hay has predicted a quality winger will leave permanently this summer.
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