£16m Leeds United player told he was ‘loads better’ on Saturday but still lacks nasty streak
It was the story of two players scoring their first goals of the season on Saturday as both Mateo Joseph and Joel Piroe got off the mark to help Leeds United beat Hull City, 2-0.
Leeds secured a third clean sheet in a row, a second consecutive win and remain unbeaten in the Championship going into the September international break with the feeling a lot more positive.
That is despite a transfer window that has seen Leeds lose Archie Gray, Georginio Rutter, Crysencio Summerville and Glen Kamara. Leeds in terms of quality, seem worse off compared to 2023-24.
Plenty of Leeds players have something to prove and not just the club’s new signings, though Manor Solomon went some way to doing that in his first start, his first professional game for almost a year.
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Neil Redfearn thinks Joel Piroe was much improved on Saturday
Piroe has endured some criticism this season. Perhaps unfairly brought on in his wrong position as a no.10, he has struggled at times. Most notably, at West Brom and he’s yet to live up to his £16m price tag.
There are glimpses of quality, and that he scored 44 goals in two seasons for Swansea prior to his move to Elland Road. Redfearn told BBC Radio Leeds that Piroe better, but still lacking a bit of “nastiness”.
“I thought he was loads better, today. It looked like it mattered. I’ve seen him at times where games have just drifted by him. He’s not got involved. When he really wants to say go. he’s a proper player,” he said.
“But there’s too many times where you don’t see that, i’d like to see a bit of menace, a bit of nastiness about him but I don’t think he’s got that,” former Leeds manager Redfearn continued, discussing Piroe.
Piroe supposedly included in last-minute transfer bid by Leeds
Reports claim that Leeds included Piroe in a late bid to sign Gustavo Hamer in the transfer window, something which Leeds have denied. But even if it is untrue, it piled the pressure on the Dutchman.
If Leeds did do it, then it means Piroe is expendable and The 49ers are already ready to let him go a year after his arrival. But even if not, Piroe will have felt he needed to show why he deserved to be at Leeds.
Redfearn is right in saying that it did look like it mattered to Piroe more than normal. Whether Piroe gets a start at any point in the coming weeks and months remains to be seen, with Joseph starring up top.
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