Ross McCormack says £16m Leeds United player is not as good as Sheffield United’s options in the same position

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There are weaknesses in this Leeds United side and they are easy to point out. Illan Meslier is the obvious one after Saturday’s draw with Swansea but there are other issues to sort out, too.

Not for the first time, Meslier has been guilty of some catastrophic errors that have cost Daniel Farke’s side points. Swansea, Sunderland and Hull would have been wins if Meslier hadn’t made mistakes.

But what’s done is done and Leeds sit in second and two points behind Chris Wilder’s Sheffield United, level on points with Burnley. The pressure, the international break, last season – it is taking its toll.

However, Meslier is not the only one to blame. Leeds have issues elsewhere on the pitch and another is up top, with Joel Piroe now going five games without a goal despite playing every single minute.

• READ MORE: What Sam Allardyce said after dropping Illan Meslier for Joel Robles

Ross McCormack compares Sheffield United strikers to Joel Piroe

Piroe remains second-best in the Championship goalscoring rankings with 15 this season, but his lack of goals in the last five games is his worst streak this season. He has gone five games without one before.

But, in that previous stretch of games, he nabbed assists against Middlesbrough and Oxford United. This time, Piroe has failed to notch a single assist – missing two glorious chances in defeat to Portsmouth.

Piroe cost Leeds £16m and yet he was unable to convert Brenden Aaronson’s chipped cross on Saturday with the scoreline reading 1-1. McCormack thinks Sheffield United’s attackers are better than Piroe.

“I tell you how I see it, Leeds have one big problem and it is the striker department. Any team that wins promotion has a good striker, as good a striker Joel Piroe is technically, I don’t see that being him.

“Mateo Joseph is a young boy that often comes off the bench for Leeds. Sheffield United have remarkable players in the forward areas,” McCormack told TalkSPORT on Monday morning (31/03, 8.50AM).

Comparing Piroe to the numbers of Sheffield United’s strikers

While Leeds only have three strikers and one of those remains injured in the form of Patrick Bamford, Chris Wilder has five players that can play as a centre-forward – the best currently being Tyrese Campbell.

That is according to the numbers, with Campbell netting 10 Championship goals this season and four in his last five. Signed last season, Campbell has impressed in his first season at Bramall Lane under Wilder.

Leeds’ three strikers compared to Sheffield United’s five in the Championship:

While none of Sheffield United’s strikers have outscored Piroe and some are being used out wide like Rhian Brewster and Ben Brereton Diaz, the combination of the five forward is better than Piroe’s output.