Mark Smith

Sat 9 December 2023 15:25, UK

Dominic Matteo could not believe footage from Leeds United against Blackburn on Saturday 9 December as highlights of Joel Piroe were shown.

The Dutchman was muted throughout the game but nearly scored from a free-kick, only for the deflection to take it inches past the post at Ewood Park.

Matteo insisted that the Blackburn wall was simply “awful” and all over the place as the ball went agonisingly wide in the 2-0 victory in Lancashire.

Speaking live on LUTV during their matchday coverage [9 December, 13:26], Matteo could not believe what he was watching as the highlights came on during the break.

“The wall was awful,” he said.

“Let’s be honest, you can see here now, as he takes it, they are all over the place. He’s got lucky has the lad because he’s pulled himself back, it’s soft.”

Awful?

If we thought that watching Leeds was stressful, Blackburn fans must be on the edge of their seats for 90 minutes every single week the way their side played.

Rovers insisted on playing the ball around at the back and there were so many times when last-gasp challenges needed to be made to prevent more goals.

That is where this free-kick game from too, and Piroe was only inches away from making the home side pay, but looking at the wall, he probably should have.

There were huge gaps and more than half of it wasn’t even covering the goal, but Blackburn got away with it, something Matteo and us watching had the benefit of seeing.

Thankfully, Dan James and Crysencio Summerville made sure there was no doubt with their finishes as Leeds walked away with yet another impressive win.

Piroe will have better afternoons, and he will bounce back very soon when he gets the chance to do so.

In other Leeds United news, Robbie Savage predicts Whites to spend “a lot of money” on star in 2024.