Leeds United were mostly winning, and as a manager who had previously finished first in the Championship with Norwich City, it was and remains tough to question Farke.
However, since the turn of the year, Bamford has been placed as a number nine, with Rutter dropping back behind him. In his first six starts of the year, the 30-year-old has answered with four goals and two assists in league and cup, while Piroe has taken his spot on the bench.
The Dutchman was recruited in the summer from Swansea City for £12 million [Wales Online, 24 August], reportedly as the long-awaited striker alternative to Bamford that had been lacking throughout the latter’s ongoing injury woes in the Premier League during the seasons.
Rutter arrived a year ago after Victor Orta spent £35.5 million to sign him from Hoffenheim [Sky Sports], but he was deemed unsuitable and was mainly overlooked by a succession of coaches as the Whites were relegated.
In fact, his current position off of Bamford in the attack is exactly what German football guru Jasmine Baba said would “fit him wonderfully” previous to his arrival in Yorkshire.
So it was counterintuitive that Rutter and Piroe were now playing in each other’s places, given that the mercurial Frenchman’s weakest strength is perhaps his finishing, which may be the ex-Swansea man’s strongest suit.
Piroe scored nine goals in the league before the end of 2023, although he was most effective when he sprinted past Rutter to find himself in a centre-forward position, and he frequently appeared to be overlooked by the action when he stayed deeper.
Rutter, on the other hand, has been difficult to keep out of the action wherever he has been this season, proving himself to be a free-flowing player that Championship clubs typically “can’t get,” according to The Athletic’s Phil Hay.
Since Leeds United has won five consecutive Championship games with Bamford at forward and Rutter behind him, getting to within a point of second place, it is difficult not to see it as Farke realising his prior plan was flawed.
Again, the man who has two Championship winner’s medals at home has certainly earned the freedom to do whatever he wants, but his later shift shows that the most obvious setup may have been the most effective all along.
While Bamford is by far the biggest winner, the situation is most difficult for Piroe because he has virtually become the fall guy while the opportunity to lead the line has gone to someone else.
