Joel Piroe didn’t start for Leeds United during their 3-1 win against Middlesbrough on Tuesday. Despite that, there was plenty of talk about him on social media during the game.
Leeds United dominated the first half against Middlesbrough, going into half-time with a one-goal lead courtesy of Wilfried Gnonto’s fifth Championship goal of the season.
It could’ve been two or three for the Whites who were back on level terms soon after the break, owing to an own goal from Max Wober.
Daniel Farke made a handful of changes midway through the second half, with Joel Piroe coming on and setting up Dan James for the second, with Brenden Aaronson then scoring the third in injury time as Leeds United beat Middlesbrough 3-1 to move top of the Championship table.
Leeds United fans spark up Joel Piroe debate during Middlesbrough win
For the game against Boro, Farke dropped Piroe to the bench and started Mateo Joseph; it’s the first game Joseph has started since Leeds United beat QPR 2-0 in November and the first game that Piroe hasn’t started since that same QPR game too.
After Gnonto’s opener, Leeds fans hailed Joseph for his forward run in the build up, which they said Piroe wouldn’t have made.
One fan posted: “And that my friends is why you start Joseph every time over Piroe. He makes runs, gets across the defender, and unsettles backlines,” as another added: “Those darting front post runs are what you get from Joseph but not Piroe. Exactly what you want from your striker.”
Another Leeds fan said: “Anyone who says Piroe offers more than Joseph is absolutely bonkers.”
But minutes later, Dan James fizzed a ball past the Middlesbrough six-yard line but there was no Leeds player there to meet it.
“Piroe puts that away,” said one Leeds fan. Others said the same, with fans posting: “Piroe would have scored that,” and also: “Piroe would’ve buried that.”
Another Leeds supporter simply posted: “Joseph playing almost as poorly as Piroe.”
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Daniel Farke already knows what the problem is with Joel Piroe
Speaking before the game against Middlesbrough, Farke gave a very honest verdict of Piroe, that might explain why he didn’t start against Boro.
Farke said Piroe is never going to be a quick player, highlighting the need to improve his mobility on the pitch.
The Leeds boss said: “He’s a bit special in this approach and you can’t change a player’s strengths, you must play to that. You have to improve his weaknesses, his mobility.
“You’re never going to make a lightning-quick player out of Piroe.”
Against Boro, Joseph’s runs in behind certainly unsettled the Boro defence. But he wasn’t able to snap up certain chances that Piroe might have done.
For Farke, the debate over both rumbles on.
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