Many Leeds United fans have been reacting on social media after Tyler Roberts offered Patrick Bamford his support amid the striker’s drought in front of the goal.
Bamford failed to score for the seventh-straight Championship fixture on Saturday, while his brace in January’s 3-2 comeback win over Millwall remains the 26-year-old’s only league goals since our defeat away to Fulham 14 games ago.
The Grantham-born hitman has featured in 12 of our second-tier matches since losing at Craven Cottage in December, including starting roles under boss Marcelo Bielsa in all bar the New Year’s Day draw with West Brom when he entered the action at the break.
Worryingly for Bamford, he also failed to register a single shot, let alone one on target, as we ran riot at the KCOM Stadium last weekend, whilst Roberts came off the bench to replace him with 23 minutes to go and fired home a brace against Hull City for a 4-0 triumph.
Roberts, though, is not concerned that our leading goalscorer, with 12 strikes to his name in the Championship this season, is struggling of late, as he is confident that Bamford offers more to the side than just goals.
Who should start at striker vs Huddersfield this weekend?
Bamford
Roberts
“I don’t think it’s much to do with the goals,” Roberts stated, via quotes by the Yorkshire Post. “We need to score goals but Patrick gives a lot to the team and strikers have these runs. I’ve been through it, of course, at the end of last season. It’s not nice.
“We’re all confident he can hit the target and score goals. We’ve seen it often enough in training, it’s just getting that first one, I think.
“It’s frustrating for everyone when chances go begging. It’s not just Pat that’s missing chances, or anyone in particular, but we do have a lot of possession and we do create a lot of chances. On Saturday, we showed we can put them away and be clinical.”
Here are some of the messages shared as fans reacted to Robert’s comments…
It’s not a ‘run’, Bamford has never been consistent and probably never will be. There’s probably never been a team that has reached our heights with such a striker.
— mulvers (@mulvers) March 3, 2020
I just think he needs a rest, he looked broken
— Simon Mabury (@MaburySimon) March 3, 2020
Side before self always #mot #alaw
— Andy C (@andycunny) March 3, 2020
Lord bamford ! We love you
— BetForFun (@nobodywhouknow1) March 3, 2020
I think Bamford does put in a lot of mileage during the matches, and he has been unlucky on a number of occasions. I reckon MB will start with PB and then bring TR on as an impact sub when the defence have slowed a little.
— Dave Armstrong (@F1_Fan_30years) March 3, 2020
I’m no bamford hater and like others appreciate the graft he does but I don’t think that can always be used in his defence as all the team work hard that’s how we play look at the graft Harrison etc put in I wouldn’t say it’s any less them bamford
— Neil Huntington (@wallyhuntington) March 3, 2020
Class
— Dom (@dommer14) March 3, 2020
That’s the only thing he could have said, tbh. Something that seems lacking in Bamford, in spite of his effort, is that unquantifiable quality known as striker’s instinct.
— Mohamad Kamal Ali (@MohamadKSAli) March 3, 2020
Cmon our bamford. Support you 100%
— kathleen williams💙💛 ALAW. (@miffy0811_a) March 3, 2020
In other Leeds United news, a player frozen out by Bielsa this year is now expected to the club in the summer transfer window.