Leeds United moved themselves up to seventh in the Championship as they beat Queens Park Rangers 3-1 at Loftus Road.
Leeds moved themselves up to seventh in the Championship table on Saturday as they beat QPR at Loftus Road for the first time since 2011, and they had Roofe to thank for bagging the three points as he scored his second hat-trick of the campaign to lead Thomas Christiansen’s side to a 3-1 win.
And Whelan could not praise the former Oxford United man high enough, seemingly endorsing the idea of Roofe featuring in the central striker role on a more regular basis in future.
“Nine goals before Christmas is a good return,” he told BBC Radio Leeds.
“I think he gives you something a little bit different. He’s one of these players who’s very, very busy up front. He always likes to take a centre-half into a place he doesn’t want to go, he runs channels, he can hold the ball up, he’s quick thinking, he links up well with Saiz and the wide men, and he can back up and hold the ball up and bring it down.
“He has got everything, and today’s been a great day for him.”
While Caleb Ekuban has earned plaudits for his performance since returning to the Leeds side, the pressure had been building on the summer signing as he had not scored since his injury, and perhaps that pressure has now increased given Roofe’s latest display – though his injury may perhaps take him out of contention for a while anyway.
As Whelan alluded to, Roofe displayed a wide range of attributes for his three goals and that would have obviously done his chances of earning more opportunities down the middle no harm at all.
And it surely must go without saying that Roofe did more than enough at Loftus Road to earn another prolonged run in the team in that central striker role – it would certainly be a surprise if Christiansen decided against having him leading the line against Norwich.
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