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“Forget about Joel Piroe, this player is Absolute INCREDIBLE and Man of the match”- Don Goodman left stunned by one Leeds star performance and names him as Leeds United Man of the Match vs Stoke City, and it’s not Jayden Bogle
Leeds United secured a 2-0 victory over Stoke City on Boxing Day, moving back to the top of the Championship table in the process.
Having watched their promotion rivals play earlier in the day, Leeds took on Stoke in challenging conditions at the bet365 Stadium. Despite the tough circumstances, Daniel Farke’s team delivered with a solid performance, winning 2-0 thanks to two goals from Joel Piroe, following Sheffield United’s loss to Burnley earlier.
Jayden Bogle was a standout performer for Leeds, constantly attacking down the right wing and causing problems for the Stoke defense throughout the match. While there were several strong performances across the pitch, with Dan James also impressing, neither Bogle nor James was named Man of the Match.
Surprisingly, Don Goodman, the Sky Sports commentator, chose Piroe as the Man of the Match, despite some Leeds fans’ ongoing criticism of the Dutch striker. Piroe has been a divisive figure among supporters, but his two well-taken goals brought his tally to nine for the season, making him Leeds’ top scorer.
Goodman explained his choice, saying, “Goals win games, and Piroe scored a couple tonight. Look at those 11 touches in the Stoke box—that’s more than Stoke had in Leeds’ box. Leeds were impressive, and he benefited from that.”
Earlier in the season, Farke offered an honest assessment of Piroe’s game, acknowledging his natural ability but also noting his lack of speed. Farke stated, “He’s a striker who likes to drop deep. He’s special in this approach, and you can’t change a player’s strengths, only work on his weaknesses, like his mobility.”
Against Stoke, Piroe showed his poacher’s instinct, being in the right place at the right time to score two typical striker’s goals. He wasn’t making runs in behind or charging forward, underscoring how Leeds must play to his strengths to continue seeing goals.
