Different skills are what Daniel Farke looks for after a rare Leeds United blank and that could mean further changes are ahead from the German next week. When a Patrick Bamford-led attack came up short against Sunderland, Joel Piroe is where the manager turned four days later.
The Dutch striker would then proceed to draw a blank in the disappointing loss to Blackburn Rovers on Saturday. That could mean Farke rolls the dice again next Monday at Middlesbrough.
Piroe’s flexibility and movement were other assets Farke wanted Leeds to tap into after a static effort against the Black Cats. The manager felt Piroe showed this, but the quality was not there in front of goal and Mateo Joseph will now hope it’s his turn if not Bamford’s once again.
“We got the feeling he (Piroe) had some momentum after he scored the other day (at Coventry City) and also was there with a crucial assist [against Hull City],” said Farke. “He has also scored double figures so far and, obviously, it was a third game in seven days, so we wanted to have some fresh legs on the pitch with Connor [Roberts], with him, also with Willy [Gnonto].
“Once you haven’t scored in the other night, then it’s more like you have to try to use different skills. He’s a bit different to our other offensive options and we wanted today to be a bit more flexible because we got the feeling, at least in the last game, we were a bit too static.
“He showed this, but, sadly, also he normally has the quality to be there with a decisive goal in such a tight game and, sadly, he didn’t show this quality today. Obviously a striker or offensive player like Joel is also just happy once he has scored the goal or is there with a crucial assist. For that, he will also be disappointed today.”
