26 touches, 10 passes: Farke must drop Leeds dud after 2/10 display
Leeds United moved back to the top of the Championship with a vital 1-0 win over play-off-chasing Middlesbrough at Riverside Stadium last night.
Dan James’ early goal, scored just two minutes into the match, secured the three points for Daniel Farke’s side, allowing them to reclaim the top spot after Sheffield United and Burnley both dropped points.
The result could have been even better for Leeds, as Ao Tanaka and Patrick Bamford both had legitimate goals ruled out due to incorrect offside decisions.
With the win, Leeds now have their promotion destiny back in their own hands, and the prospect of returning to the Premier League after a two-year absence is within reach.
However, despite the victory, several players failed to meet their usual high standards, leaving their starting spots at risk in the coming weeks.
Leeds’ Underperforming Players Against Middlesbrough
Midfielder Brenden Aaronson, recalled to the starting lineup by Farke for the match against Middlesbrough, struggled to make an impact.
The American international played the majority of the game but lost 10 duels, the most of any player on either side, and completed only 60% of his passes.
Aaronson wasn’t the only one to disappoint, as Manor Solomon, despite providing the assist for James’ early goal, also underperformed.
The Spurs loanee completed just 40% of the crosses he attempted and lost possession eight times, looking wasteful—a stark contrast to his earlier form this season.
The Player Farke Needs to Drop After Middlesbrough
Throughout the season, Leeds have been impressive in attack, scoring 80 goals in 41 games—though two were wrongly disallowed for offside.
Solomon and James have played key roles in that tally, with James scoring his 12th league goal of the season last night.
However, striker Joel Piroe, who has been Leeds’ starting forward for most of the 2024/25 season, has struggled recently. His failure to score against Middlesbrough extended his goalless run to seven matches.
Piroe’s performance at Riverside was forgettable; he was withdrawn in the 73rd minute, replaced by Bamford, who looked more impactful in his brief appearance.
The 25-year-old managed just 26 touches during the match and completed only 10 passes.
Journalist Beren Cross described Piroe’s performance as “careless.” He had just one shot on goal, missed a significant chance, and lost 64% of the duels he contested, making him largely ineffective in attack.
Piroe’s struggles would have been compounded if Bamford’s effort had counted, as the substitute applied pressure on the manager to give him a starting spot in the next match.
Piroe received a dismal 2/10 match rating from Football Insider’s Harri Burton, the lowest of any Leeds player in the win.
With his goalless streak now extended, it would be a surprise to see Piroe start against Preston on Saturday.
The manager is unlikely to make mistakes, given that Leeds’ promotion hopes are back in their own hands.
Although Bamford has been a player often linked with a move away, the upcoming match presents him with an opportunity to prove his worth for a first-team role next season, potentially pushing Piroe further down the pecking order.
