Joel Piroe speaks with Sky Sports about his connection with Georginio Rutter, his new role in the team, and his goals for Leeds United.
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Although it is a new relationship with a few kinks to work out, Joel Piroe smiles when he thinks about his blooming strike partnership with Georginio Rutter at Leeds United.
“There are still some bits we need to work on, but we’re growing every day and really getting to know each other,” the forward tells Sky Sports after winning the Sky Bet Championship Goal of the Month award for September – for a fine team move that ended with Piroe being found in the box by his fellow striker.
“We know about what we both have and we are just trying to make it work better and better.”
On the surface, Piroe and Rutter appear to be two No. 9s attempting to fill the same function. However, the truth is more of a display of movement, combination, and fluidity.
Piroe, who signed from Swansea in the summer, is currently thriving in his new role as a second striker.
“I think this might be my best position,” he said. “The team is set up so that we play as two strikers who switch roles every now and then, and I think it brings out the best in both of us.” “I believe we’ll only get better.”
It’s a growing strikeforce reminiscent of a Premier League elite axis. At Manchester City, Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez have made a similar strategy work, with two strikers learning to play together rather than coming in each other’s way.
Piroe understands that level is a long way from where Leeds, Rutter, and himself are now, but there are always lessons to be learnt from observing such great.
“I love to watch big Premier League and Champions League games, and I like to see how Haaland and Alvarez work,” said the Spaniard.
“There are some parallels. The runs Haaland makes are something we can include into our game. It is about ensuring that all jobs are covered so that we can be even more productive than we are currently.
“But those guys work so hard to get better every week, it shows what we have to do to improve as well.”
Piroe is also anxious to observe players who play further back in order to learn what it takes to excel both inside and outside the box, adding strings to his bow.
“I also like to watch guys who play in a deeper role like Martin Odegaard at Arsenal,” he said. “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.”
After such an uncertain summer, and having not secured a move from Swansea until a week before the end of August, Piroe, still only 24, has taken to his role at Leeds with amazing speed.
After all, it was a club that had to contend with relegation, uncertainty, and instability, as well as gel under a new manager.
Nonetheless, his arrival coincided with a goal and their first win of the season, a 4-3 victory over Ipswich.
“I’ve settled in really well,” he says. “The club has aided me. They attempted to provide me with as much information as possible to assist me in adjusting and fitting in, but they did not overdo it.
“Scoring goals is beneficial. It makes you feel like you’re making a difference and makes life easier.”
It was a difficult decision to leave Swansea, who had given him his chance in England and rewarded him with so much success in front of goal. But he understood he had to move on if he wanted to advance, even if it meant having a difficult summer.
“Of course you go in every day and work your socks off and focus on what you have to do, but it was quite difficult,” he said. “Even if you try to block out all the noise, you are always having conversations and hearing or seeing things.”
“It was a lot to think about, but because it’s my career I had to make a choice.”
He simply couldn’t say no when Leeds called.
“I had a chat with the manager and he made clear what the ambitions of the club are and what they want to achieve,” he said. “I wanted to do the same things as the club, so the move made sense.”
“When I saw the squad and the potential there, I knew it was a place I wanted to be.”
“There are so many good individual players here, and it’s a lot of fun trying to make it all work.” It is something we can always improve on, and we do it all the time.”
Leeds have won three games in a row and are on a roll under Daniel Farke as they look to climb back out of the Championship.
Piroe is aware of the expectations, but he enjoys the challenge as he strives to fulfil his personal ambition of reaching the Premier League.
“I enjoy the pressure,” he explains. “It’s really nice, and you can feel it everywhere.” You can sense it even in away games.
“I’ve played against some of the relegated teams, but going up there and really feeling what the competition is like is the dream and the goal.” That’s what we’re aiming for.”
The issue they have is that they are now attempting to track down two teams that have taken off like an express train in Leicester and Ipswich.
Piroe, on the other hand, is unmoved. His Championship experience tells him not to be concerned. And he realises that all Leeds can do is complete their own tasks.
“After two years in this league I know anything can happen,” he said. “You see some teams start well and then fall apart.
“We just need to focus on ourselves, to keep winning and try to catch them.”
Leeds have a great chance of doing so with Piroe and Rutter up top, as well as the skill they have surrounding them.
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