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<\/p>\nNo outfield Leeds United player has seen their influence fall off a cliff as sharply as Joel Piroe this season compared to last.<\/p>\n
In 2024-25, he was the top scorer in the Championship, scoring 19 goals and creating a further seven during his 3,090 minutes on the pitch as he helped his club gain promotion to the Premier League. Only four outfield players featured more under Daniel Farke last term.<\/p>\n
But in 2025-26, Piroe has felt the full impact of the squad\u2019s Premier League transformation, appearing in just eight of the 16 matches so far and starting only two of these. Of the 23 players used by Farke in the top flight this campaign, only three have played fewer minutes than the Dutchman.<\/p>\n
Of course, Piroe is not the first to impress in the Championship and then see his minutes and goals dry up in the Premier League. Systems can change, while goalkeepers and defenders are significantly better than those in the second tier.<\/p>\n
Farke started eight of May\u2019s title winners on the opening day of the campaign against Everton, including Piroe at the tip of the attack. The No 10 had been sharp enough to edge out Lukas Nmecha in the pecking order, while Dominic Calvert-Lewin was registered too late and was weeks behind in preparation after missing pre-season.<\/p>\n
Leeds won the game, Piroe played well enough and Farke retained 10 of those starters for the following match at Arsenal. They were humbled 5-0 and Piroe looked well out of his depth underneath the towering might of Gabriel and William Saliba, two of the world\u2019s best centre-backs.<\/p>\n
If Leeds were going to go longer with their distribution, fight for second balls, win duels and best their opponents physically, they were not going to do it with Piroe as the target man in a 4-3-3. The former Swansea City man has not started since, and there has been little clamour for his recall.<\/p>\n
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\n Piroe and Farke in pre-season in August (Robbie Jay Barratt \u2013 AMA\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Piroe\u2019s been reduced to 11, 17, 16, 10, four and three-minute cameos in his six league appearances since that game on August 23. When Farke has needed to change games, he\u2019s either overlooked Piroe for other alternatives on the bench or thrown him on too late to realistically achieve anything.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s been a tough period for Piroe, but, according to sources close to the player \u2014 who chose to remain anonymous when speaking to The Athletic to protect relationships \u2014 he remains optimistic and confident his time will come again before the season finishes. During the previous rare spells that Piroe has been outside the starting line-up at Leeds, Farke has always underlined how professional and diligent he has remained behind the scenes.<\/p>\n
In October, Farke said: \u201cOf course, it\u2019s tough, especially when you have a player like Joel, who is giving everything, who has worked on his fitness level a lot, who is a top-class character. For me, he\u2019s the best finisher I\u2019ve ever worked with \u2014 and there\u2019s been some good finishers.\u201d<\/p>\n
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