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100% duels lost, what a complete FLOP should be DROP with immediate effect else”- Farke urged must DITCH Leeds lightweight to UNLEASH “dynamite” Leeds star
Leeds United return to Championship action for the first time since Christmas with a Boxing Day away match at Stoke City.
Currently sitting second in the league, the Whites will look to secure a win over Narcis Pelach’s team to maintain their position in the automatic promotion spots.
Last weekend, Daniel Farke’s side thrashed Oxford United 4-0 at Elland Road, with goals from Dan James, Jayden Bogle, Brenden Aaronson, and Manor Solomon.
However, Farke may make changes to his starting lineup for this match, and one player who could be dropped is Joel Piroe.
Why Joel Piroe Could Be Dropped
The Dutch striker started as the number nine against Oxford and was involved in one of the goals, providing an assist for Solomon with a pass into the box in the second half.
However, Piroe has struggled for form, scoring just one goal in his last seven Championship appearances, and his overall play has been underwhelming.
As shown in the table above, Piroe had a difficult time in the game against Oxford, completing only ten passes, losing all of his duels, and being wasteful with his shooting.
His work off the ball has been poor throughout the season, with Piroe losing 73% of his duels, both on the ground and in the air.
Considering these issues and the busy festive schedule, Farke might opt to drop Piroe to the bench and give Mateo Joseph a chance to start.
Why Mateo Joseph Should Start
The Spain U21 international has made ten starts in 22 Championship appearances this season and, despite his relative inexperience—he turned 21 in October—he has fared better than Piroe in physical duels. Joseph has won 36% of his ground duels and 30% of his overall duels, suggesting he is more effective in physical contests.
Joseph has contributed two goals, four ‘big chances’ created, and three assists, showing that he can make an impact in the final third despite starting fewer matches.
However, his finishing has been wasteful, scoring two goals from an expected goals (xG) tally of 3.61, which might explain why Farke has not consistently selected him over Piroe.
Given Piroe’s lackluster performance against Oxford, despite his assist, Joseph could now have an opportunity to prove to Farke that he is capable of becoming Leeds’ main number nine for the remainder of the season.
