"A bit miffed" - Alan Smith on Leeds United attacker decision and West Ham game score prediction
Leeds United face West Ham United on Friday night under the Elland Road lights.
Ex-Arsenal star Alan Smith has given his view on the Leeds United striker situation and a score prediction for Friday night’s huge Premier League visit of West Ham.
Leeds will line-up for Friday’s visit of the second-bottom Hammers sat three points clear of the dropzone following last weekend’s 2-0 defeat at Burnley in which 19 shots failed to yield a single goal.
Despite having netted just once so far this season, summer signing Dominic Calvert-Lewin was again given the nod to lead the attack as last season’s Championship Golden Boot winner Joel Piroe again had to make do with a place on the bench.
Piroe was eventually brought on with 17 minutes left as he joined Calvert-Lewin in attack but the Dutchman himself was among those to miss chances as Leeds fell to a disappointing defeat.
Nevertheless, having been given just two Premier League starts, Smith believes Piroe might feel “a bit miffed” at not being handed more chances in the starting line-up for Farke’s side.
“He hasn’t had many”
Either way, ex-Arsenal, Leicester City and England striker Smith believes Leeds desperately need goals and is predicting second-bottom West Ham to “scrape” a draw from Friday night’s huge clash at Elland Road.
Speaking in his latest column for Best Betting Sites, Smith said of Piroe: “He started the first two league games without scoring and Calvert-Lewin came in, who has got the Premier League experience.
“So, he hasn’t had many starts to show that he can make the step up. So, yeah, he’d be a bit miffed perhaps.
“But Leeds desperately need goals, don’t they? I’m sure they’d love to try and get somebody in. It seems that Farke doesn’t see Piroe as the one who can do it in the Premier League.”
Casting his score prediction for Friday night’s contest, Smith said: “I think West Ham might scrape a draw 1-1.”