Leeds United fans will be hoping summer capture Patrick Bamford can really get himself going now as he continues to build up his fitness following the injury he picked up earlier in the season.
The 25-year-old former Chelsea man came in from Middlesbrough for a reported £7million over the summer and he had a slow start as he adjusted, used only as a substitute by manager Marcelo Bielsa in the Championship campaign – but the signs were there and he opened his club account in the EFL Cup victory over Bolton in mid-August.
It could be two months before Patrick Bamford is able to play without any pain but the striker has the bit between his teeth after a goalscoring comeback:https://t.co/YiNmylsfmW
— Phil Hay (@PhilHayYEP) December 18, 2018
Injury hit though and his last appearance was at the end of August and his focus switched to recovery. Last week he made his return for the Under 23 group and helped himself to a hattrick which would’ve done wonders for his confidence, and Bielsa gave him a runout against Bolton last weekend and he obviously hit our winner.
Speaking to the Yorkshire Evening Post after the game, Bamford did cause a bit of concern as he admitted he was training and playing through pain at the moment and he felt it would be another month or two before the pain eased and he was at 100%.
Stomach dropped reading the start of that headline
— Glenn_Hall (@glennhall4lufc) December 18, 2018
I’d rather he just get fit instead of coming back in pain
— Mr Glassalfempty (@DRobinson92) December 18, 2018
Haha. Just “the special”. Yes!
— peps (@pepper_rafa) December 18, 2018
Proud of Bam Bam, playing through the pain barrier for #LUFC. That is deeds worthy of King Billy ???????????? #MOT #ALAW
— K Diddy (????Celtics 18-10????) (@YokaiLUFC) December 18, 2018
Don't really even know what this means. Is he fit or not
— Dan Berry (@DanielB466) December 18, 2018
There were others and the main concern was fitness and whether or not he was, in fact, ready to return but Bamford himself seems happy with the situation and pleased to be playing his part again so as long as this doesn’t bite us down the line, the praise he’s getting for playing through pain is deserved and it just means people will take him to their hearts quicker.