Despite coming off the win over Cardiff City last weekend, pundits are concerned that Leeds lacks a finisher at the No. 9 position.
Leeds managed just four shots in the final 45 minutes against the Bluebirds despite playing with one more man in the contest. Moreover, it wasn’t until Joël Piroe found the back of the net in the 87th minute that the Whites could rest easy.
The Whites have struggled with goal-scoring this season, trying to fill the gap left by Georginio Rutter and Crysencio Summerville, who both departed over the summer.
As a result, The Athletic’s Nancy Froston wrote that it’s time for manager Daniel Farke to experiment with Piroe being the solo striker, even though that isn’t the position the Dutchman usually plays.
“The Dutchman’s clinical finishing from his first half-chance in the Cardiff game raises the question of whether he should get another run at No. 9,” Froston wrote.
“The reality is, after a year of trying to make him a No. 10 or second striker, [Daniel] Farke has not seen Piroe as the solo striker he needs. But as Leeds fail to inspire going forward, there is a case to be made for building a side around a player capable of getting the job done.”
Patrick Bamford isn’t reliable
If Farke decides not to use Piroe as the striker, Mateo Joseph and Patrick Bamford are the options. However, pundit Paul Robinson feels this isn’t ideal for Leeds, as the German manager can’t count on Bamford staying fit, given his track record of missing crucial games.
“Of course, it’s a worry,” Robinson told MOT Leeds News. “All of the goalscoring burden is on Mateo Joseph. Without Patrick Bamford, you’re looking at Joel Piroe, but he doesn’t normally play as a No.9.
“Leeds are light in that area, and you can’t rely on Bamford to be fit for a whole season. We’ve seen that before in recent seasons and it’s a big ask for Joseph.”
If Bamford continues to struggle with injuries, could Piroe step into a more prominent role for Leeds? LUFC DATA recently pointed out on X that Piroe has scored four of his seven goals for Leeds in 2024 as a substitute, with all of them coming after the 75th minute.
