Leeds United No.9s and the January transfer window winner — Graham Smyth's Coventry City Verdict — YEP 6/2/25

By Graham Smyth

Daniel Farke did not get what he wanted and yet because of that there was still a Leeds United winner in the January transfer window.

The Whites' attempts to bring in a number 9 became public late on in the window. Their pursuit of Southampton's Cameron Archer went nowhere in the end but the fact that they set off down that road was telling. Patrick Bamford's inability to get and stay fit long enough to play much football or build any rhythm was likely at the heart of Leeds' thinking but even if they top the Championship in points and goalscoring, it cannot be said that Farke has enjoyed plain sailing at 9 this season.

Regardless of Farke's post-deadline proclamation of pleasure in his present centre-forward options, top goalscorer Joel Piroe has at times struggled to produce 90-minute performances. Conversely Mateo Joseph has played a fuller part in some of the team displays when he's had the shirt, just without being as prolific as his more experienced team-mate in front of goal.

But on Saturday against Cardiff City, with Leeds' hopes of getting Archer on loan already looking forlorn, Joseph found the net to end a drought that began in October. Serendipitous, you could call it, and a more-than timely boost for a player badly in need of a goal and the confidence it can bring.

Farke has insisted that Leeds' actions in the market could never be dictated by what it might mean to an individual player, because the needs of the team must come first, but if anyone in the squad was watching on with baited breath as the chase for Archer played out, it was Joseph. And in a twist of transfer irony, his own future was under discussion too - externally if nothing else - because an offer of more than £10m from Real Betis became public in Spain. Leeds knocked it back.

So in the space of just a few days the 21-year-old went from potentially fighting for the second-choice striker role with a new signing, to scoring a goal, learning Leeds consider him too valuable to ship on and having his position in the squad rubber stamped by the passing of a deadline. It might even feel like a second wind for the youngster. He just has to get past Piroe and for the meantime his route is going to have to be impressive substitute cameos.

Farke went almost unchanged for the trip to Coventry City, Piroe's two goals and performance against Cardiff keeping him up top. Only Joe Rothwell dropped out of the team who started the 7-0 rout, with Ilia Gruev returning to partner Ao Tanaka in midfield and adding legs and more defensive cover.

The pair were busy in the opening quarter as Leeds bossed possession and controlled things without creating too much. But when they did, from Manor Solomon's first-time pass into the feet of Piroe, they went ahead. The striker took the pass brilliantly, strode into the area and finished. One chance, one goal. It was deadly centre forward play and exactly why he started.

By the half hour mark it was 2-0. Ellis Simms had to take a measure of blame for the first Leeds goal for it was his comically heavy touch that presented possession to Solomon. The second came thanks to the adventurousness of Jayden Bogle and the butter fingers of Sky Blues keeper Oliver Dovin. Leeds' right-back dribbled from near halfway, spotting a gap to hare through and then skinning Bobby Thomas in the area only to find Dovin there to gather. Except he didn't gather, he spilled the ball straight back to Bogle who found the empty net. Goals for Leeds are coming from just about everywhere this season and the burden is not falling exclusively or unduly on any centre forward.

Another number 9 was key in this fixture last season. Ellis Simms was part of a physical Coventry onslaught that the Whites had struggled to cope with in a 2-1 defeat. But Joe Rodon had him largely wrapped up in a first half that did not see what you would call a golden chance for the hosts. Coventry had a couple of moments, Leeds were a little untidy once or twice but Rodon's recovery runs, Tanaka's omnipresence and Ethan Ampadu's reading of the game snuffed out any threat.

That left the forwards to go and kill the game and they should have before half-time. Dan James got in on goal and his lob didn't have enough on it to beat Dovin. The winger got in again, from a slide rule Gruev pass, and tried to pass across the box without finding a team-mate. Piroe got in after a slick, quick counter and with James screaming for the ball at the back post the striker went for goal and found only the stand behind the goal. It's no exaggeration to say Leeds could have been 5-0 up at the break.

The second half began in an almost inevitable fashion. Coventry simply had to go for it and in doing so would leave themselves open to counters. That was how the Whites created even more chances to bury it before the hour mark. James' pace meant he was always going to be a factor and he had Leeds' first two shots of the half, sending one over and one into the sidenetting. There was a big penalty appeal for Brenden Aaronson, turned down by referee Dean Whitestone, and a big chance for Coventry - Simms finally getting enough space to flick goalwards a header that brought the best of Illan Meslier. Even from that chance Leeds were dangerous though, breaking once more through Manor Solomon whose shot cannoned off Dovin's shoulder and wide.

It carried on in that vein, Coventry pressing to get something and Leeds countering hungrily into the abundance of space. They did the first bits brilliantly, nicking and intercepting passes and sending attackers away, but the final third was where they were found lacking. Aaronson got away and instead of putting James in a one-v-one with Dovin he sent the winger wide. Solomon freed himself on the left touchline, supplied the perfect cross for Piroe and with the three points on his boot he found the keeper instead of the net. Moments like that and the periods of games, like this one, when Piroe drifts out of the action will always keep the door slightly ajar for the young man waiting in the wings.

It really is no exaggeration to say that the scoreline should have matched the one Cardiff City suffered at the weekend. Meslier was called on for a second fantastic stop and Leeds had to defend some crosses but the vast majority of the chances continued to come at the other end, where even the substitutes got in on the wastefulness. Largie Ramazani squandered a one-v-one moment from a low cross and Willy Gnonto needlessly touched a net-bound Junior Firpo effort over the line. The Italian's intervention saw a delayed flag go up for a controversial offside, which frustrated Farke - though not as much as his side's profligacy.

As for Joseph, he got on for the final four minutes of regulation time. That chance for Ramazani could easily have fallen for the striker instead and beyond that there was little for him to get his teeth into. Yet with Bamford not expected back in training until after the FA Cup game, Joseph is in prime position to profit should Piroe put in a poor performance or two, or pick up a problem. He's Leeds United's second choice number 9 and as such will continue to get chances. The FA Cup game against Millwall on Saturday has the look of an opportunity for the Spaniard, rather than a bedding-in game for some new striker or other Leeds might have added in the window. It's down to Joseph to take it.