Before the start of the season, Joe Rodon had scored three career goals in 252 games for club and country. This season, the Leeds United star has three goals in 13 appearances so far.
Two for Leeds, one for Wales. His second came on Friday night, the winner against West Ham in a crucial 2-1 win over The Hammers. Rodon compounded West Ham’s set-piece misery with a bullet header.
In a complete replica of his first goal of the season against Bournemouth, Rodon got on the end of a Sean Longstaff corner to head home. It turned out to be the winner after Brenden Aaronson scored the first.
That now sees Rodon go joint-first as Leeds’ top scorer for the season, alongside Noah Okafor. While it is only two goals, it is a big step in the right direction for a player who has struggled to score previously.
Leeds players celebrate with Joe Rodon after scoring vs West Ham.
Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images
What Joe Rodon hilariously told Bryn Law on Friday night
As always, Bryn Law was on LUTV duty on Friday night alongside Tony Dorigo, and during an interview with his co-commentator after full-time, Law shares what Rodon had told him following the victory.
Law claims that while Rodon was heading towards doping control after the match, the Welshman told Law that he is aiming to be the club’s top goalscorer this term. He has more than Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
“I just caught a good word with Joe Rodon just as he was going into doping control, he said: “I want to be top goalscorer this season”. He’s top of the charts of with Okafor at the moment,” Law said last night.
MORE LEEDS UNITED STORIES
What Daniel Farke has said about Joe Rodon’s goal threat
When Farke initially signed Rodon on loan from Tottenham in the summer of 2023, Rodon had netted just one professional goal while on loan with Rennes in France. Farke has managed to improve his goal threat.
Now, Rodon has three goals for Leeds, two this season and two for Wales, both coming in the last six months. Farke said it is one of his greatest achievements as Leeds manager to get Rodon scoring goals.
“You have to have this mentality as a defensive player. Be greedy to score a goal, he is improving that a lot. It’s a trend we need to have. No jokes, one of my proudest achievements, because it was so poor.”
Leeds will be hoping Rodon can continue his goalscoring form next time out, when Farke takes his men to The Amex to take on Georginio Rutter’s Brighton, before Sean Dyche’s new side Nottingham Forest.