Daniel Farke urged to make bold Leeds selection decision against Millwall by benching £10.5m star – opinion

Millwall have been on an impressive run, winning three consecutive matches, including a notable victory over Burnley, one of Leeds United’s promotion rivals.

This strong performance has brought Millwall close to securing a top-six position in the league.

Meanwhile, Leeds United are coming off a comfortable 3-0 win over Plymouth Argyle, where they dominated 78% of possession and didn’t face a single shot.

This match served as ideal preparation for their upcoming game against Millwall.

Leeds manager Daniel Farke took advantage of the situation to rest some key players towards the end of the game, with Brenden Aaronson, Dan James, Wilfried Gnonto, and Joe Rothwell all being substituted early.

However, the match against Millwall will be a completely different challenge from what Leeds faced against Plymouth.

Farke will need to ensure his team selection is not solely influenced by their recent victory at Elland Road.

Millwall’s approach will likely be more aggressive and challenging, especially with their confidence and the support of an enthusiastic home crowd that will push the team to press high and attack.

Farke may need to make a significant tactical adjustment, particularly in the forward line.

Plymouth’s defensive strategy allowed Leeds to control possession comfortably, as Wayne Rooney’s side sat back in a deep defensive structure, almost like a back six.

This passive approach gave Leeds freedom to dictate play without much pressure.

In contrast, Millwall’s energetic and pressing style will make it hard for Leeds to play with the same level of patience and ease.

A bold decision Farke might consider is replacing Joel Piroe in the starting lineup with Mateo Joseph.

Although Piroe performed well against Plymouth, scoring a goal, he may not be the best fit for a high-intensity game like the one expected at Millwall.

Joseph’s ability to make runs behind the defense and hold up the ball will be crucial in relieving pressure when Leeds are under attack.

Unlike Piroe, who is valued at £10.5 million, Joseph offers more flexibility in linking play and maintaining possession, which will be essential to prevent Millwall from regaining control and launching counter-attacks.

Piroe, on the other hand, might be better suited to matches where Leeds are dominant, especially at home.

With a quick turnaround for the following fixture against Queens Park Rangers, Farke could start Piroe in that game instead.

Despite not starting, Piroe could still play a critical role off the bench against Millwall. Three of his five goals this season have come as a substitute, highlighting his effectiveness in this role.

If Leeds manage to take the lead, Piroe would be an ideal player to bring on, providing the scoring instinct needed to secure the result.

His presence would allow him to exploit spaces and get into goal-scoring positions as the opposition tires.

By utilizing Joseph’s work rate in the early stages and bringing on Piroe’s finishing ability later, Farke could strike a balance between resilience and attacking power, aiming to maximize points from this challenging fixture.