‘My best position’ - Joël Piroe breaks silence on Leeds United role and Arsenal influence

The Dutchman who joined Leeds over the summer in a £12 million transfer has scored five times in his first nine outings for the Whites but debate has raged among supporters regarding the 24-year-old’s best position.

Piroe’s goalscoring at previous club Swansea City led many to believe the Whites’ No. 7 could be their bonafide No. 9 this season, but manager Daniel Farke has deployed the team’s current top scorer in a deeper supporting forward role. Instead, it has been Rutter who has led the line.

The Frenchman has subsequently registered the joint-most assists at Elland Road this term, in what has been something of a role reversal from the typical nine-and-ten relationship.

Speaking to Sky Sports ahead of Leeds’ midweek encounter with Stoke City, Piroe had his say on the matter: “I think this might be my best position.

“The team is set up so we're playing as two strikers who swap roles every now and again, and I think it brings the best out of both of us. I think we'll only get better as well."

Leeds’ games this season have featured multiple instances where Piroe or Rutter have interchangeably dropped deep to pick up possession and start attacks from United’s own half. Perhaps the shining example of that was Rutter’s assist for substitute Jaidon Anthony during the 3-0 win over Watford.

“There are still some bits we need to work on, but we're growing every day and really getting to know each other.

“We know about what we both have and we are just trying to make it work better and better,” Piroe added.

The ex-PSV Eindhoven forward picked up September’s Championship Goal of the Month award last week, for his first strike against Millwall which, as luck would have it, was set up by strike partner Rutter.

Student of the game Piroe adds that he enjoys watching the runs of Erling Haaland for Manchester City, as well as the relationship between the burly Norwegian and Julián Álvarez. Reinforcing the belief that second striker is his best position, Piroe says he also draws inspiration from Arsenal’s Martin Ødegaard, who operates from a hybrid No.8/10 role under Mikel Arteta.

“It is good to analyse and see what they do in their positions as more of a second striker, to see when you want to be a midfielder, and when to play like a striker at the right moments."