Leeds United forward Joel Piroe helped justify Daniel Farke’s lengthy rationale behind his use of the Dutchman in the Whites attack, as he scored the winner against Bristol City.
Daniel Farke has guided Leeds to three straight home wins in the Championship, with consecutive victories last week against QPR and Bristol City.
Amongst the goals again for Leeds was Joel Piroe, as he shifted the ball onto his left to fire through the legs of a Robins defender and beyond the reach of the wrong-footed Max O’Leary.
Why is Farke playing Piroe deep?
One would hope that the argument surrounding where is best to play Piroe in the attack has been well and truly quashed by Farke’s comments last week.
His pre-match press conference brought an outstanding response about his methodology for playing Piroe as a ‘number 10’, to which it can be summed up well by this quote:
“When it comes down to strikers, I know my business.”
Previous to that powerful line, he reeled off the list of players that won the golden boot under his stewardship, hoping that Piroe can be the latest.
Decision paid off
Lo and behold, the Dutchman fired in the winner for Leeds operating in a position carefully crafted by Farke, as Georginio Rutter pinned a centre-back and allowed for space to open up for Piroe just outside the area.
He opened up his body to fire low with his left foot, a goal that helped really justify Farke’s decision, according to The Athletic’s Phil Hay, as he wrote:
“Dan James scored the first of their goals, getting on the end of a Georginio Rutter cross after the latter bent the laws of physics by aiming a shot over the crossbar from a few yards out — a chance to fascinate the xG fanatics.
“It is as if the Frenchman is using the odd, unflattering miss to make the opposition feel better about a level of skill which is trolling the Championship when it comes alive. And naturally, Piroe banged in Leeds’ second shortly after half-time; a fifth goal in eight appearances for the club, which neatly vindicated Farke’s claim that ‘I know strikers’.”
Where will Leeds finish in 23/24?
End of conversation.
There will be games where Piroe looks out of sorts playing as deep as he will, but that comes with him also finding himself in the best possible position to get chances.
Pinning defenders with his back to goal is so obviously not his game, and playing with a mobile striker that does most of the running is far better for him.
It allows him the space that he gets into either in deeper areas or as a third-man-run, the ways he has netted five so far.