Daniel Farke has insisted Joel Piroe prefers to play from deeper after Leeds United’s 0-0 draw with Sheffield Wednesday.
Farke was speaking in his post-match press conference following the game at Elland Road, in which Piroe was making his first home league start.
Like at Ipswich Town last week, Piroe was tasked with starting in the number 10 position just behind Georginio Rutter.
While that dynamic worked in an open game at Portman Road, Piroe was anonymous for much of the afternoon against Wednesday.
The 24-year-old failed to get into any positions where he could hurt a Wednesday defence which were happy to sit deep and absorb pressure.
Farke issues Piroe verdict
However, despite a frustrating first afternoon at Elland Road, Farke insists that is the position Piroe likes to play in so he can arrive in the box from deep
He said: “His more natural role at Swansea was coming from deeper to arrive late. How he scored at Ipswich. Joel can also play up front, but we need players from midfield to score and he likes to come from a deeper position. Needed a pacy striker in behind like Rutter to push them back We’re not looking for cutbacks, but low crosses along the byline.”
While that worked in a game where there was plenty of space at Ipswich, it failed to have anywhere near the same effect against a packed back-five.
Piroe’s game is not about picking that final pass and unfortunately, given how Wednesday set up, the only positions he was getting the ball in was too far away from goal.
Farke may have to come up with solutions for different matches, where sometimes he can play deeper, but on other occasions, where he can be in the box to finish off any sort of half-chances that come his way.
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