Connect with us

Latest

Joel Piroe is chasing the Championship Golden Boot and no one has noticed

Joel Piroe has attracted criticism for his inconsistency and has struggled to provide a physical presence upfront in some games. However, he has scored 12 goals so far this term and is the highest goalscorer in the Leeds United squad at this stage of the campaign. The Dutchman returned to form against Cardiff City when he netted two goals in a 7-0 hammering of the Welsh side at Elland Road. With Leeds not signing a striker in the winter window, the pressure will be on Piroe to keep scoring goals for the Whites. However, despite all the criticism of his performances, the forward is silently closing in on the Golden Boot race. Piroe has a great chance to silence his detractors if he ends the season as the Championship’s top scorer and leads the team back to the Premier League this season.

Once Leeds lost Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter in the summer, Leeds needed their other attackers to step up this season and Joel Piroe has led the line admirably this season.

Mateo Joseph started the season as Daniel Farke’s preferred number 9. But the Spaniard’s inability to score goals consistently at this level meant that Piroe replaced him in the starting eleven a few months back.

Patrick Bamford has continued to struggle with injuries this season. This situation has led to Piroe more or less handling the number 9 role in the Leeds squad alone.

The Dutchman has attracted criticism for some of his recent performances. However, while no one has noticed Piroe is gradually closing in on Borja Sainz’s tally of 15 goals and is just three goals short.

Given how the season has shaped up, there is a real chance that the forward will end up as the Championship’s top scorer this season, which no one predicted a couple of months back.

Joel Piroe has gone under the radar in the Golden Boot race

Piroe started just one of Leeds’ first eight Championship games this season. Joseph was Farke’s preferred number 9 but the Spaniard failed to convince and the Dutchman got back into the starting eleven.

The forward wasted little time in securing his place in the starting eleven and has been the undisputed number 9 at Leeds over the last few months.

He attracted criticism against Norwich and Burnley and there were calls for Leeds to try out Joseph again in the number 9 role but Piroe hit back against Cardiff.

The two goals against Cardiff took his tally to 12 goals for the season and he now sits behind Sainz in the Championship’s top scorers’ list at this stage of the season.

He is still three goals short but the way things have panned out, Piroe has a brilliant chance to end the season as the league’s top scorer at the end of the campaign.

Norwich’s Sainz has not scored a goal since November and is currently serving a six-game suspension for disciplinary breaches.

If Piroe keeps chipping away, he could soon surpass the Norwich striker and sit at the summit of the Championship top scorers’ table.

He is also fighting for his future at Leeds

Piroe’s goals could lead the Whites back to the Premier League but there are serious question marks over whether he will get the chance to play in the top flight.

His inability to physically impose himself on Championship defenders has led to suggestions that he could really struggle in the Premier League if Leeds go up.

The Dutchman has also been inconsistent in front of goal and has been accused of drifting in and out of games, which has often infuriated Leeds fans.

His return to form against Cardiff is good news for Leeds but the striker is also fighting to get a chance to play in the Premier League if Leeds go up.

If he remains an inconsistent goalscorer, Leeds are almost certain to try and bring in a proven performer in the Premier League in the summer if they go up.

The onus is on Piroe to prove his worth to Farke and the decision-makers at Leeds that he deserves a crack at the top flight if they get promoted this season.

Click to comment
Subscribe
Notify of
guest

0 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Must See