David Prutton does not think Leeds United need to bring in a new number 10 in January.
Leeds spent the final two weeks of the summer window looking to strike a deal for Bayer Leverkusen’s Nadiem Amiri, but after several days of back and forth, it fell through.
Amiri was a primary target of Farke’s in the summer but Leeds did not have any alternatives lined up and so Joel Piroe has been lining up just behind Georginio Rutter for much of the season, a dynamic which has worked a lot of the time.
However, Tuesday night’s defeat at Sunderland saw Leeds’ ‘unplayable’ front four produce their worst performance for a number of weeks, raising the question as to whether a number 10 is needed in January.
However, writing in his latest weekly column for the Yorkshire Evening Post, Prutton believes the midweek loss does not mean Leeds should panic and bring someone in.
Leeds need another central creative force
He said: “If I’m being asked if the midweek defeat highlights the need for a no 10 or changes or additions in January then not really, no. From a goalscoring point of view, Leeds know exactly what they are doing and from a creation point of view they know exactly what they are doing. Yes, they’ve been slightly profligate at times.”
While Rutter and Piroe have worked very well together for the majority of the season, there are games in which they have been quiet.
Rutter produced arguably his most ineffective performance of the season at the Stadium of Light and when he is not firing, the rest of the attack tends to struggle.
The 21-year-old has been Leeds’ primary creative force under Farke and so when he is not impacting play, there is no direct replacement to come off the bench and do his job.
With that in mind, Leeds should look to bring in a player who plays centrally and primarily excels in creating chances, just to ease that pressure on Rutter in matches he is not firing.
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