Daniel Farke just isn’t buying the concerns over Leeds United’s depth in the attacking department.
It certainly feels a little churlish to question the forwards available at Elland Road right now, particularly as Leeds put seven goals past Cardiff City two days before the transfer window closed.
Yet, even as Joel Piroe and Mateo Joseph ended their respective goal droughts with Leeds United feasted greedily on a Cardiff backline – Omer Riza’s defence falling off the bone like the tenderest cut of steak – concerns over the depth of Farke’s squad continue to nag away at the minds of more pessimistic supporters.
Leeds have been here before, of course. This is a fanbase familiar with the pain of finishing third in a three-horse race.
With Patrick Bamford’s frustrating season placed on pause once again – he has missed the last five league matches – Leeds are an injury to Piroe or Joseph away from being limited to one, natural centre-forward.
As far is Farke is concerned, however, this is nothing to lose sleep over.
Daniel Farke thinks Leeds United can use Largie Ramazani as a striker
The Leeds boss has spoken before about using Willy Gnonto as a number nine if required. He feels that fellow wideman Largie Ramazani could also be converted into a makeshift striker, having scored La Liga goals against both Real Madrid and Sevilla while operating through the middle.
The crashing header which saw Leeds past Harrogate Town in the FA Cup, meanwhile, was a finish a classic centre-forward would have been proud of.
“We have three really proper strikers,” Farke protests, speaking ahead of Leeds midweek trip to Coventry City. “We have players who could perhaps fulfil also a job in this role if necessary to do so.
“For example, Willy Gnonto and Largie Ramazani have played as strikers before [albeit they are] not natural strikers.
“We have three proper strikers at this moment. I totally trust them, of course. If there are many injuries or you have problems in terms of availability, sometimes it makes sense to have a fourth, fifth, sixth striker there.
“But it could also create another problem, in terms of togetherness and spirit.”
Farke makes Bayern Munich point as Leeds striker debate rumbles on
Leeds eyed Southampton duo Cameron Archer and Adam Armstrong, only for the clock to strike 11pm on Monday without a single centre-forward walking through the door.
Proven though they may be at Championship level – Armstrong has averaged over 20 goals in each of his last three second-tier campaigns – one suspects both he and Archer would not have been too happy to find themselves stuck on the bench behind Piroe.
“It doesn’t matter if its Liverpool, Real Madrid or Bayern Munich. They [have] not more than two or three striker options,” Farke points out. “We have three proper striker options and, again, I am totally happy with them.
“I trust my group and I trust them to finish in the position we want to finish.”
Well, technically speaking, Leeds only have two ‘proper striker options’ at present. Bamford will miss the trip to a resurgent, play-off seeking Coventry.
Farke also spoke out in support of Joseph as the Spain Under-21 international netted for the first time since October last time out. Leeds rejected a £10 million bid from Real Betis in the final days of the window.
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