CroJack
Key Player
According to Wales Online, Swansea City's "move for PSV youngster Joel Piroe is edging ever closer and Piroe will be Swansea's main striker next term at the Liberty Stadium".
Joel Piroe and Kyle Joseph, who has already signed for the Swans, will probably be our main strikers next season whilst Cullen and Whittaker will be sent out on loan to the lower leagues.
I hope I am wrong, but the signings of Joseph and Piroe don't make any sense. Why would we want to have four young strikers in our squad? Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against Piroe and Jospeh, but I am against sending Whittaker and Cullen out on loan.
As much as I understand, decision to sign Piroe is based on his U19 stats. He scored 25 goals in 31 appearances in all competitions for PSV U19. Great stats, but we have to have in mind that Ajax, PSV and Feyenoord academies are best in Dutch football, and their U19 totally dominate other clubs' U19. Strikers who play for teams who play superior football tend to score more goals than strikers who play for inferior teams. U21 in Netherlands is different. More clubs sign young talents from other European leagues, so I decided to compare Joel Piroe U21 stats with Cullen and Whittaker's U23 stats. Netherlands don't have U23. Kyle Joseph has never played for Wigan's U23, last season he was promoted directly from U18.
Minutes-per-goal ratio
Morgan Whittaker - goal every 165 minute in the Premier League 2
Liam Cullen - goal every 173 minute in the Premier League 2
Joel Piroe - goal every 239 minute in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie and Jupiter League (equivalent to Premier League 2)
Now lets's have a look at their best seasons for U23.
Morgan Whittaker in season 2019/20 goal every 113 minute.
Liam Cullen in season 2019/20 goal every 165 minute.
Joel Piroe in season 1918/19 goal every 197 minute.
Pro leagues
Joel Piroe has played 769 minutes of pro football (Eresdivisie, Dutch Cup and Europa League), and scored 5 goals. That's 154 minutes per goal.
Liam Cullen has played combined 653 minutes in 2019/20 and 2020/21 season in the Championship, but also in the FA Cup in 2020/21 season. He has scored 4 goals, two in the Championship and two in the FA Cup. That's 163 minutes per goal which is slightly better than his record season for U23.
Last season Kyle Joseph played 1218 minutes in the League One, and scored 5 goals. That's 243 minutes to score one goal. For a 19 years old strikers that's an excellent record. At this rate he would have scored 17-18 goals over the course of a League One season.
Morgan Whittaker has played 1195 minutes of pro football (EFL Cup, FA Cup and Championship) and scored 3 goals. That's 398 minutes per goal.
We have to be careful when we judge their goal tallies in the professional leagues. There are many variables: strength of the club you play for, strength of the opposition, style of play, creativity in the squad etc.
Joel Piroe has played for a club dominant in the Dutch league. Last season Wigan and Kyle Joseph avoided relegation by a 3 points margin. Last season Liam Cullen and Morgan Whittaker played for a team who lacked creativity and supply to its strikers. Also, Morgan Whittaker was forced to play as a winger, out of position.
Conclusion
If we sign Joel Piroe we'll have 4 young and promising strikers, and it would be pity if any of them is sent out on loan.
Joel Piroe and Kyle Joseph, who has already signed for the Swans, will probably be our main strikers next season whilst Cullen and Whittaker will be sent out on loan to the lower leagues.
I hope I am wrong, but the signings of Joseph and Piroe don't make any sense. Why would we want to have four young strikers in our squad? Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against Piroe and Jospeh, but I am against sending Whittaker and Cullen out on loan.
As much as I understand, decision to sign Piroe is based on his U19 stats. He scored 25 goals in 31 appearances in all competitions for PSV U19. Great stats, but we have to have in mind that Ajax, PSV and Feyenoord academies are best in Dutch football, and their U19 totally dominate other clubs' U19. Strikers who play for teams who play superior football tend to score more goals than strikers who play for inferior teams. U21 in Netherlands is different. More clubs sign young talents from other European leagues, so I decided to compare Joel Piroe U21 stats with Cullen and Whittaker's U23 stats. Netherlands don't have U23. Kyle Joseph has never played for Wigan's U23, last season he was promoted directly from U18.
Minutes-per-goal ratio
Morgan Whittaker - goal every 165 minute in the Premier League 2
Liam Cullen - goal every 173 minute in the Premier League 2
Joel Piroe - goal every 239 minute in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie and Jupiter League (equivalent to Premier League 2)
Now lets's have a look at their best seasons for U23.
Morgan Whittaker in season 2019/20 goal every 113 minute.
Liam Cullen in season 2019/20 goal every 165 minute.
Joel Piroe in season 1918/19 goal every 197 minute.
Pro leagues
Joel Piroe has played 769 minutes of pro football (Eresdivisie, Dutch Cup and Europa League), and scored 5 goals. That's 154 minutes per goal.
Liam Cullen has played combined 653 minutes in 2019/20 and 2020/21 season in the Championship, but also in the FA Cup in 2020/21 season. He has scored 4 goals, two in the Championship and two in the FA Cup. That's 163 minutes per goal which is slightly better than his record season for U23.
Last season Kyle Joseph played 1218 minutes in the League One, and scored 5 goals. That's 243 minutes to score one goal. For a 19 years old strikers that's an excellent record. At this rate he would have scored 17-18 goals over the course of a League One season.
Morgan Whittaker has played 1195 minutes of pro football (EFL Cup, FA Cup and Championship) and scored 3 goals. That's 398 minutes per goal.
We have to be careful when we judge their goal tallies in the professional leagues. There are many variables: strength of the club you play for, strength of the opposition, style of play, creativity in the squad etc.
Joel Piroe has played for a club dominant in the Dutch league. Last season Wigan and Kyle Joseph avoided relegation by a 3 points margin. Last season Liam Cullen and Morgan Whittaker played for a team who lacked creativity and supply to its strikers. Also, Morgan Whittaker was forced to play as a winger, out of position.
Conclusion
If we sign Joel Piroe we'll have 4 young and promising strikers, and it would be pity if any of them is sent out on loan.
Last edited:
let’s send them all out on loan
