Daniel Farke must be having a laugh at Leeds United after what he’s just said about Joel Piroe
Daniel Farke simply isn’t telling the truth with his latest comments surrounding Joel Piroe’s involvement at Leeds United.
The Dutchman was prolific for the Whites as they raced to the Championship title last season, but he hasn’t been given the opportunity to prove himself in the Premier League so far this term.
Farke has heaped praise on Piroe at Leeds in the past, but that hasn’t been reflected by the gametime that he has received since the team were promoted back to the top-flight.
The West Yorkshire outfit save seen their striker situation face scrutiny yet again ahead of this weekend’s clash with Crystal Palace, and the boss’ statements on Piroe do not add up at all.
Daniel Farke is miles off it with Joel Piroe gametime comments
Dominic Calvert-Lewin has finally hit form for Leeds after a quiet start to the season, and Farke appears to have stumbled onto something by planning him alongside Lukas Nmecha at the top of the pitch.
The duo caused Chelsea countless problems during their victory over the Blues at the start of December, but an injury to Nmecha has since prevented the pair from linking up again.
Farke confirmed in his pre-match press conference on Thursday that the former Wolfsburg star will not be fit for this weekend’s game at Elland Road, which potentially leaves an opportunity for an unfancied squad member to prove their worth.
| Stats | Piroe Total |
| Minutes | 197 |
| Starts | 2 |
| Touches | 97 |
| Shots | 7 |
| xG | 0.59 |
| Successful Passes | 60 |
That could be Piroe’s chance to shine, and Farke has already suggested that he remains part of his plans, despite his lack of gametime at Leeds.
“He (Piroe) is still definitely in my plans,” the German said in his presser.
“He’s such a great character. His finishing skills at this level are outstanding – when we are dominant or need a goal, then I’m sure I can pick him because he is outstanding in these terms.”
However, those statements are seriously contradicted by the fact that the former Swansea City man has still played less than 200 minutes of league football since the start of the season.
Farke may admire his finishing ability, but seven minutes of action across the last four crucial games is not exactly indicative of a player who is “definitely” part of his manager’s plans.
Joel Piroe to push for January exit
Football Insider revealed earlier this week that Leeds are likely to add another striker on loan in January, and that could be the final straw for Piroe at Elland Road.
His goals were crucial in helping the Whites escape the Championship last term, but it must be incredibly demoralising to see other players continuously be given opportunities ahead of him, especially when they are not natural strikers.
Noah Okafor has been used alongside Calvert-Lewin at the top of the 3-5-2 system in the last two games, which is a fairly damning reflection as to where Farke actually sees Piroe’s ability.
Okafor is undoubtedly a very capable player, but he is far better suited to a wide role where he can square his man up and get crosses into the box.
If Leeds do add another striker to their ranks in the early weeks of the window, then it could finally tip Piroe over the edge and lead to him pushing for an exit before the deadline at the start of February.