“16 duels lost, his time is over at Elland Road and must be Axed completely”- Daniel Farke told must now DROP struggling Leeds United star after losing 16 of his 17 duels against Luton Town
It’s clear that even Leeds United’s top players are struggling for form at the moment.
The draw against Luton Town saw Daniel Farke’s most dependable stars fail to deliver, with the team’s performance falling short.
This isn’t an isolated issue. In recent games, some of Farke’s most consistent performers, including Ethan Ampadu, have underperformed—Ampadu, in particular, was unusually poor in the draw against Swansea.
Though he had just returned from injury, Leeds’ key players are not hitting their stride, and it’s starting to affect the club’s push for promotion. As of Saturday, Leeds have slipped to third in the standings.
Leeds couldn’t get past 23rd-placed Luton, with The Whites failing to secure a win.
After the match, Farke criticized Ao Tanaka’s performance, while many fans are calling for Manor Solomon to be dropped.
One standout statistic from Saturday’s game was Joel Piroe’s performance. He lost 16 of his 17 duels, a dismal record that backs up criticisms of his physicality in attack.
The Dutch striker, who had been praised as the Championship’s best goalscorer, has gone six matches without adding to his tally of 15 goals this season.
Piroe’s numbers against Luton were telling: 79 minutes played, a 5.4 FotMob rating (the worst of any player), just three touches in the opposition box, and a woeful one duel won out of 17.
His inability to contribute both physically and offensively makes it hard to justify his place in the starting lineup.
Farke faces a tough decision ahead of Tuesday’s trip to Middlesbrough. After dropping Illan Meslier due to poor form, it’s possible that Piroe could also be dropped if his struggles continue.
A run of six games without a goal or assist, combined with his poor performance stats, makes it hard to defend keeping him in the side.
With Mateo Joseph uncertain due to illness, Patrick Bamford could be in line for an unlikely start after showing promise in his 30-minute appearance against Luton.
It’s clear that Farke needs to make changes if Leeds are to get their promotion push back on track.
