Joël Piroe: It is a good time to work on things | OneFootball

Leeds United were held to a draw by La Liga side Villarreal CF in their fourth outing of pre-season, in front of a packed out Elland Road.

A goal behind just after the hour mark, substitute Joël Piroe continued his excellent form with a close-range strike, drawing the Whites level on his birthday!

Following the full-time whistle, the Dutch forward explained how important routinely finding the back of he net is ahead of the Premier League opener.

“It feels really nice,” the 26-year-old said after scoring the equaliser. “Something that makes me happy and of course it would have been a little bit better if we had won the game as well, but at the same time I think it was a good game to get ready as well.

“You feel that it is getting closer, that everyone is getting sharper and you really feel that the team as a whole has stepped up a bit as well.

“I have said it before as well, you know, in the Premier League at big clubs or wherever you are, you always face competition.

“So, if it is a new signing or one from the academy who comes up, there will always be a battle for the place and you have just got to influence what you can influence yourself.

“For me, it means playing well, keep scoring goals and that is how I try and want to earn or keep my spot. Everyone is fighting for their spot.

“It is also a good time to work on things that aren’t going as well as we want to and there is now the time to work on that, to be fully prepared for the season.

“It is always nice to feel that the hard work you have put in in the off-season to come out in the testing as well.”