The defining feature of many modern managers, be it Ruben Amorim or Wilfried Nancy, is their stubborn refusal to change, intent on pressing ahead with a flawed tactical philosophy – but not Leeds United‘s Daniel Farke.
It had been a sticky and stodgy start to the season at Elland Road, with the writing looking to be on the wall for the German in the autumn, having already been touted for an exit following last season’s promotion success.
November notably brought with it four straight defeats, albeit with the last of those showcasing signs of life, with Farke’s second-half shift to a 3-5-2 at Manchester City paying dividends.
Statement performances against Chelsea and Liverpool followed, with the Yorkshire outfit not looking back since, propelled by an old-fashioned two-up-top approach.
That tactical tweak had no doubt been a factor in January’s push for Jorgen Strand Larsen, although with the Norwegian heading elsewhere, a decision needs to be made on who will be Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s regular partner moving forward.
Who should be Calvert-Lewin’s strike partner at Leeds
That second 45 at the Etihad could well be a defining one both for Leeds’ survival hopes and for new man, Calvert-Lewin, with the Englishman netting off the bench to spark his stunning scoring spree over the festive period.
The 28-year-old had endured a difficult few years at Everton, scoring just three Premier League goals last season, with a quiet start in Yorkshire casting doubt over the wisdom of his signing.
Now, the in-form marksman sits on nine league goals and with fresh hope of securing a World Cup berth, having looked like a man reborn in Farke’s 3-5-2 system.
Much of that fine form has come alongside fellow summer signing, Noah Okafor, with the speedy Swiss forward dovetailing nicely off Leeds’ physical focal point.
That being said, the ex-AC Milan man hasn’t chipped in himself even while Calvert-Lewin has flourished, scoring just two goals all season, the last of which came back in October.
Farke does have Wilfried Gnonto in reserve, although the diminutive Italian hasn’t scored himself in the league thus far, while Lukas Nmecha – onto four goals himself – appears a more like-for-like alternative to Calvert-Lewin.
With Strand Larsen, following a Leeds bid, ending up at Crystal Palace, Farke’s striking solution for the second half of the season may have to come internally.
Farke could unleash Leeds’ “best finisher” as Strand Larsen upgrade
With Facundo Buonanotte the only winter incoming – barring any late, drastic free transfer scoop – the squad at Farke’s disposal is what he’ll have to work with amid Leeds’ bid to beat the drop.
That means that it would be worth considering giving a chance to last season’s Championship top scorer, Joel Piroe, with the Suriname international staying put at Elland Road, despite notable interest from the likes of Celtic.
The 26-year-old appeared destined to leave amid his peripheral role this season, although neither Leeds nor the player himself appeared to push for an exit, with Farke previously lauding Piroe as the “best finisher” he’s ever worked with.
That quality has been seen across the last four years in the Championship, both with the Whites and Swansea City, with the left-footer scoring 73 goals in 179 games in the second tier.
In all, Piroe has netted 79 goals in 206 games across his entire time in English football, with his previous senior outings seeing him score three times in 34 games combined for PSV Eindhoven and Sparta Rotterdam.
That total senior record of 82 goals in 240 appearances ensures he actually boasts a more prolific record than Palace’s new £50m man, Strand Larsen, ensuring it might not be too much of a blow to have missed out on the 6 foot 4 Scandinavian.
Indeed, excluding his time in Milan’s youth ranks and for Sarpsborg’s second team, Strand Larsen’s senior career total rests at just 74 goals in 270 games, across his time with Wolves, Celta Vigo, Groningen and Sarpsborg.
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Piroe vs Strand Larsen – 24/25 stats |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stat (*per game) |
Piroe |
Strand Larsen |
|
Games |
46 |
35 |
|
Goals |
19 |
14 |
|
Assists |
7 |
4 |
|
Mins per goal |
163 |
186 |
|
Goal conversion |
19% |
26% |
|
Big chances missed |
13 |
13 |
|
Big chances created |
8 |
6 |
|
Key passes* |
0.8 |
0.6 |
|
Pass accuracy* |
77% |
65% |
Even last season, while Piroe was operating in the second tier, he still bettered the Norwegian’s 14-goal tally with 19 of his own in the Championship, having scored at least 14 goals – including the playoffs – in each of his four campaigns in England.
In Strand Larsen’s case, he’s never gone beyond 14 goals in a season, despite reaching double figures in each of the last three, while his only goal this time around has come from the penalty spot.
And so, while it might be something of a cliche, Piroe could well be the ‘new signing’ that Leeds are craving heading into the tail-end of the season.
3 years after leaving, Leeds sensation is worth way more than Strand Larsen
Leeds United have already sold a far bigger talent than Strand Larsen in recent years.
