Joel Piroe and Mateo Joseph are both in form this season for Leeds United [Credit: Imago]
Joel Piroe and Mateo Joseph are both in form this season for Leeds United [Credit: Imago]

Daniel Farke gets new headache at Leeds United after what happened at Elland Road

Jonathan Burnett

Jonny is a University of Leeds journalism graduate who became part of the FootballInsider team in Spring 2024, and recently worked as Head of Media for Widnes Vikings Rugby League club. Writing as a freelance reporter and commentator for The Sporting News and StatsPerform, he has covered matches in competitions including the FIFA Men's and Women's World Cups, as well as the Champions League, Women's Euro 2022, Six Nations and the Rugby Union World Cup.

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Daniel Farke can utilise Mateo Joseph and Joel Piroe up front together for Leeds United after their combination in the 2-0 win against Sheffield United.

Joseph came off the bench in the second half before being played in behind by a deep-lying Piroe, finishing clinically from close range to seal the victory at Elland Road on 18 October.

The duo, who have both been in the goals this season, have often been utilised as lone strikers by Farke, but their link-up play against the Blades provides an opportunity to play in tandem more often.

In quotes reported by Leeds Live (21 October), Pascal Struijk said: "You see the movement from Joel, and his calm to play that ball with the movement from Mateo.

"We've seen in the international break, (Joseph) can score a lot of goals. He's a really good threat.

"We see it training every day. It was just a matter of time before he starts rolling them in."

Mateo Joseph and Joel Piroe can fire Leeds United to promotion

Regardless of how the pair have been used so far this season, both Joseph and Piroe's presence up front has made United a nightmare to play and defend against, with six league goals between them.

Joseph in particular is a player who has burst into the limelight, scoring a hat-trick on Spain Under-21s duty and starting the campaign as Farke's first-choice number nine.

Leeds United manager Daniel Farke
Daniel Farke is spoilt for choice when it comes to attacking options at Leeds United this season

With Patrick Bamford also waiting in the wings – albeit as the clear third choice by a distance – Piroe and Joseph will keep putting pressure on one another to keep their place as the go-to pick up front.

However, their combined display against Sheffield United has given Farke yet another way of maximising the output produced by his attacking players; utilising Piroe in behind the 21-year-old Spaniard.

With Brenden Aaronson and Wilfried Gnonto both being used in the number 10 role since Georginio Rutter's departure to Brighton, perhaps it's Piroe who'll be best suited to that key position this season.

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