Patrick Bamford.
He’s certainly been a controversial figure at Leeds United this season, one week he gets pilloried by the fans and the next he’s seen as the great saviour of our season, even if he doesn’t find the back of the net.
Well it seems as if Bamford has got some friends in some rather high places as Sky Sports Chris Kamara has offered up some defence of the 26-year-old. Speaking to Leeds Live, he said that he must be doing something right to still be in Marcelo Bielsa’s team on a weekly basis:
“The thing about him (Bielsa) is that he’s old school. If you’re part of the eleven and you are fit every single week, you will play every single week. That’s how he seems to be. We see a lot of teams changing their formation and changing their players. With him, if you’re part of his team he has faith in you to play every week.”
If availability is the only thing that is keeping Bamford in the team, then what does it say about not only him, but also Bielsa’s way of playing, but also the rest of the squad?
Will Bamford's misses cost us promotion?
Yes
No
If Bamford is in there purely because he is the only fit option available, which given the news about Jean Kevin-Augustin could be the case until the end of the season, then is that really meant be something for us to be celebrating?
It’s well known that Bamford has been struggling in front of goal this season, despite being one of the more prolific scorers in the division, but it’s the fact that we would be blowing the division away if he, and some of his teammates, were a lot more clinical with their chances.
So if all that he brings to the table is the fact that he’s there, that doesn’t really fill me with confidence going forward into next season, regardless of what division we are in.
Let’s just hope that the next forward that comes in under Bielsa, if indeed he’s still here, then hopefully he can not only stay fit bit actually score on a more regular basis as well.