By David Williams
Joel Piroe has been backed to resume his goalscoring streak after Russell Martin admitted he had placed an unfair burden on him at Swansea City.
Dutch striker Piroe scored the Swans’ third goal in their 3-1 comeback victory over Bristol City on Sunday, a result that took them above the visitors into 16th place in the Championship table.
It was the 22-year-old former PSV Eindhoven player’s first goal in eight matches but it took him to 14 for the season – making him fifth in the division’s current scoring list and six ahead of the club’s next best scorer, Jamie Paterson, who has eight.
But head coach Martin has said that Piroe – who has played in all but one of the club’s 30 league matches this season – has been given more of a workload than the coach would have wanted.
Piroe’s fellow striker Michael Obafemi – who scored Swansea’s equaliser against the Robins before Cyrus Christie put Swansea ahead – has only started five Championship matches.
“It’s his (Piroe’s) first season in the Championship, he’s a young man and he’s been feeling very tired,” said Martin.
Joël Piroe making Mondays feel like Fridays… 🥜 #NoPiroeNoParty pic.twitter.com/puG6gVbw5J
— The Swan (@TheSwanPortal) February 14, 2022
“We obviously don’t have a huge amount of options at the top end of the pitch, so there has been a big reliance on him.
“It’s maybe not fair for someone so young in his first season in the Championship, but he works so hard and he’s a great boy who is always asking how he can improve.
“He is working really hard, he’s looking much sharper of late and I’m really pleased for him.
“Joel was playing in a different role for us, but a role he has played a lot in Holland. I thought he was really good and deserved his goal.
“He’s been so consistent and we have created more chances in the last four or five games than we have for a long time, but just not finished them off. This time we did and I’m really pleased with the performance.”
Piroe’s last goal before Sunday had been in the 3-2 FA Cup defeat to Southampton on January 8. Of those seven games since in which he had failed to score, the Swans had won only two.
A comeback win and Joel Piroe scoring. A welcome return to Swansea for both. #SWABRC
— Fraser Watson (@FraserSport1) February 13, 2022
Sunday’s victory followed the 3-0 defeat at Stoke in midweek and came after the Swans had found themselves trailing 1-0 at the break to Andreas Weimann’s breakaway goal.
But the hosts produced a stirring second-half display of real energy and intensity, with Obafemi, Christie and Piroe getting on the scoresheet as the Swans beat the Robins home and away for the first time since 1958.
Martin revealed he had been inspired by watching the Wales rugby team at the Principality Stadium come from behind on Saturday to beat Scotland in the Six Nations.
It was Martin’s first taste of the euphoric effects of Welsh rugby fans when their team is behind and he added: “I went to a game yesterday where a team that really trusts in the process of what they’re doing stuck at it after a really difficult period at the start.
“Then, the crowd helped them. The second-half felt like that today. The crowd were massive, they fed off the team’s energy and it makes such a huge difference.
“In the last two games, especially in the second-half, the way the team and the fans have connected has been hugely important.”
Russell Martin was at the Principality Stadium to see Wales beat Scotland on Saturday, and likened Swansea’s victory over Bristol City to Wales’ triumph 🏉
— BBC Sport Wales (@BBCSportWales) February 14, 2022
Significantly for the Robins’ manager, Nigel Pearson, the defeat was his side’s 10th successive away game without a victory and the beleaguered Pearson admitted afterwards this was the kind of feeble surrender that ends with a manager getting the sack.
“All three goals were poor, individuals who showed flimsy defending,” said Pearson, whose side have only won one of their last five games.
“You can’t give players desire. People like me lose my job through results.
“This football club, for too long, has had players going through the motions and I’m not having it.
“We might have to make changes. Between now and the end of the season we’ll see if they’re good enough to be here next year if I’m the manager or anybody else.”