Since Marcelo Bielsa left Leeds United it’s felt as though the club have embarked upon nothing but a downward spiral.

The era of Jesse Marsch, Javi Gracia and Sam Allardyce was somewhat of a circus, but Daniel Farke has at least restored some peace, so we thought anyway.

Sadly, the circus returned at Loftus Road on a Friday night that may have ruined Leeds’ hopes of automatic promotion.

The Whites were in the driver's seat to secure a top-two berth but were on the end of a gut-wrenching 4-0 hammering. How on earth did this happen? The script was ripped up entirely, with the Rs confirming their stay in the Championship. Farke’s men will hope the same eventuality doesn’t befall them.

Although the defence was ultimately Leeds’ downfall, Illan Meslier at fault for a number of goals, there was a selection that "backfired" – as the Athletic’s Phil Hay put it – in attack.

That happened to be Joel Piroe. With Patrick Bamford out injured, the manager admitted post-game that the Dutchman was the “natural replacement.” Really? Is he really?

Mateo Joseph will no doubt feel hard done by.

Joel Piroe’s performance in numbers

It wasn’t long ago that the forward was banging in the goals on a regular basis for Swansea City.

Last term, the 24-year-old found the net on 20 occasions in all competitions. This season, however, he has not found the same level of form.

14 goals have been notched by the former Swan, with just 12 of them coming in the league. Granted, he has played as an attacking midfielder for much of the campaign. Though, with that in mind, why was he the lone central forward in London on Friday evening? Farke certainly has a lot to answer for after a horror show in the capital.

Writing after the match, Yorkshire Evening Post reporter Graham Smyth brutally gave Piroe a 2/10 rating, noting that he was ‘nowhere near it in the first half’ and also did ‘little to impact the QPR defence in or out of possession.’

Harsh? Yes. True? Yes again. The stats certainly don’t paint a pretty picture of their 2023 signing.

Piroe left the field having amassed a dismal xG of 0.14 and boasted 47 touches, just three more than error-prone Meslier.

Amazingly, he did manage to supply four key passes but the rest of his game was dismal. The Netherlands-born striker failed to win any of his six aerial duels and was victorious in only two of his five ground duels. His night was then rather summed up with a "senseless" free-kick – in the words of Hay – late in the game, blasting high and handsomely off target.

To make matters even worse, Piroe also gave the ball away 12 times, once every seven minutes.

Even if Bamford continues to remain on the sidelines, Farke must steer clear of starting Piroe again this season. Joseph, although inexperienced, deserves his chance to shine and help lift Leeds to promotion.

They aren’t down and out yet, but the drama of the play-offs is now likely to be on the cards. It’s nervy times indeed at Elland Road.