How Joel Piroe Has Turned Up For Leeds This Season

Strong strikers are hard to come by in the Championship. Many scoring a bucket load of goals and being quickly snapped up by a Premier League outfit within a season. But after moving to the Championship and Swansea City in 2021, Joel Piroe scored 46 goals over three seasons for the Welsh club. In 2023, Leeds United defeated promotional-rivals Southampton in the race for the highly rated Dutchman. Leeds reportedly paying a fee of £10m with additional add-ons.

The attackers first season in white and blue was not quite the impact many had anticipated. Piroe scored an impressive 14 goals, but his shine was taken away by the extraordinary seasons of players such as Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter. Despite being a striker by trade, in Daniel Farke’s system, Piroe often found himself deeper and away from the box, causing for the striker’s decrease in goals.

Piroe’s second season at Elland Road would not be a syndrome but a success. The 25-year-old sits as the league’s second top goal-scorer, having scored 15 goals and assisting six in 42 Championship appearances at the mid-away point through April.

As Leeds United top the Championship table with five points separating themselves and third placed Sheffield United, the Whites will hope to secure promotion back to the top-flight. With Piroe being part of the squad defeated at Wembley against Southampton in last year’s playoff final, the Dutchman has made sure to claw and push his team forward within their push for promotion.

Aggressive Shot Output

Starting as a striker for a team that are competing for a spot in the Championship’s automatic places, you must score. Piroe has done that - sitting above 75% of other forwards for goals, with 15 scored by the forward in England’s second tier. The Dutchman averages a goal every 0.49 per 90, but a huge part of his goal return has been due to the strikers shot output. Piroe sits above 80% of strikers for shot attempts, with the Leeds forward averaging 3.08 shots per 90.

(Stats by Opta)

Compared to his Championship compatriot’s, Piroe has taken the fifth greatest amount of shots (90) in England’s second tier, with his teammate Daniel James sitting two places above in third (95). However, what makes the former Swansea man’s shot selection so impressive - is the fact that Piroe has a higher xG per shot (0.16) compared to the other five players that top the Championship for shots. Piroe, also has the best shot conversion of any of the 30 most frequent shooters in the division, with a rate of 15.79%.

The forward’s goal scoring form was at it’s hottest in February, with Piroe winning the PFA Championship Fans’ Player of the Month award. Piroe netted a double in a 7-0 victory over former Welsh foes in Cardiff City before scoring against Coventry City, Watford, and smashing home in an important win for promotion hopes at Brammall Lane against Sheffield United to take his tally for the month to five.

Piroe’s play-style perfectly mirrors the classic football saying of, ‘if you do not shoot, you do not score,’ however, his game is not only that. In the modern day, many strikers have limited abilities, and our tailed for a system. But for Leeds United, Piroe offers so much more to their attack.

Goal-Scorer Or Creator?

(Stats by Opta)

Piroe’s separating ability from other top strikers in the league, is his outstanding ability to create for his teammates, while being the top scorer. In total the 25-year-old has created 33 chances in 42 appearances, with six resulting into Championship goals for Leeds.

Piroe’s creativity predominantly occurs on the edge of the box, with the Dutchman swivelling off the back of the defender and taking up positions on the left or right of the ‘d’ before creating an opportunity. Four of his six assists roughly come from similar spots, with the edge of the box being Piroe's 'playground'.

(Stats by Opta)

Outlined by the strikers touch map, his ability to create may have stemmed from the masterstroke of his manager Farke last season, as Piroe was deployed in a deeper role at times and while the striker’s goal return may have depleted in Yorkshire, but he is becoming a more well-rounded player. Piroe’s six assists this season match his most creative season in Wales, compared to his nine assists across his last two seasons at Leeds, defeat his total assists at Swansea over three years (8).

Promotion And The Premier League Calling?

With four games remaining and five points cementing themselves into the automatic spots, it seems like the future of Leeds United will be in the top-flight of English football. As always, there will be nerves and whispers of the potential of ‘falling apart again,’ but with a talented group under Farke, the White should have more than enough to secure their spot.

Piroe will need to play his part, the forward having not scored in his last eight league matches, with Leeds relying upon him to prevent the possibility of a banana skin or a slip-up in stereotypically easier fixtures as Oxford United and Stoke City are up next for Leeds.

If Leeds are promoted I would definitely look at Joel Piroe.

Championship.
21/22 - 22 goals
22/23 - 19 goals
23/24 - 14 goals
24/25 - 15 goals (so far)

Proven at the level, only 25. #itfc pic.twitter.com/u3ir6cCG8f

— JTP (@ThatsJpToYou) April 12, 2025

However, with the Whites potential promotion to the top-flight, Piroe could find himself with limited minutes or the possibility of competition with another striker being signed. However, the Dutchman will need to make a choice and a step-up in his game to determine whether he is equipped with the weapons for Premier League battle.