Patrick Bamford

[Scott]

I really wanted him to be a success with us, but I'm starting to really lose faith in Bamford. He's a lone striker, and if we're playing one up top, we're relying on goals from that man. Bamford just isn't a goalscorer in my opinion. Sure, he's got 4 so far, but he's missed countless other opportunities that any half decent striker would have put away.

If we value his workrate and hold up play, both of which are great, so much, then we need to adapt the way we play to accommodate him alongside a goalscorer. Otherwise he should be on the bench to give someone else a go at getting the goals.

[Nic]

Strange thing 4 of the 7 points lost have been after Bamford had been subbed (Swansea winner and Derby stealing a draw).

You mean because we'd have drawn and won if scores had stayed the same? It is a valid point that we are blaming a player who isn't on the field when we drop points. Nketiah doesn't hold the ball and link play like Bamford, so have we conceded because that has been removed from the game? So would we be 4 points clear if Bamford had played the full 90+ minutes in those games? It is a possibility, but we'll never know.

When Bamford was at Middlesbro, both on loan and in the 2nd spell when he moved, he wasn't a 20+ goal scorer. Assuming they didn't have the same amount of shots (going to my new goto place for stats https://experimental361.com/2018/05/06/ ... p-2017-18/ shows an average of 13 shots a game) then are correlating more shots mean more goals? In the return to the championship Bamford was moved from out wide to a loan striker. He only scored 11 goals in the league that season, but the club scored 67 as a total.

If we are to go automatic rather than the play-off lottery a big goalscorer is needed, but that isn't Bamford's fault, he has never been a 20+ goalscorer so why are we now expecting him to be.

[Deleted User 728]

If we are to go automatic rather than the play-off lottery a big goalscorer is needed, but that isn't Bamford's fault, he has never been a 20+ goalscorer so why are we now expecting him to be.

Probably because players are supposed to get better as they approach their peak (at around 27-29 for attackers).

He's 26 and I'm not sure he's getting any better.

I love his technique but I just wish he was a bit nastier - more selfish, if you like.

[isrodger]

Can I just add to all of this? Bamford is NOT just there to score goals

I copied this from yesterday’s match discussion ...

Your right and he contributes more to build up play than a player like Nketiah might do.... and this may be THE major fault with Bielsa.

Every player appears to selected on the basis of his contribution to the team and its ethos rather than what they as an individual contribute. White is superior in terms of contributing to our attacking momentum than Jansson (however we badly miss Janssons aerial ability at set plays at both ends).

Harrison’s work rate and covering is superior to Clarke / Costa, but they have a more selfish cutting edge.

Bamford will add to build up play but won’t score the goals Nketiah or a billy sharp would.

Will he sacrifice Dallas who adds more in general / possession play than Ayling who is defensively better and adds height at set plays.

I get a feeling Bielsa seems to regard the centre forwards role as providing an outlet for our midfielders to bounce one twos off, and being the first wave of defence, rather than just being an out and out goal scorer. It would be interesting to see if he did have a poacher like Lineiker / Defoe at his disposal would he play him?

I think we will see the answer next week.

[ChilwellWhite]

I like Patrick he’s a trier but going through a lean patch at the moment. Always remember when watching him how much I would like to see him play at Leeds. Only learnt the other day he’s part of the JCB dynasty. He also could have played for Notts at cricket but turned to football.

[Deleted User 3289]

Can I just add to all of this? Bamford is NOT just there to score goals

I copied this from yesterday’s match discussion ...

Your right and he contributes more to build up play than a player like Nketiah might do.... and this may be THE major fault with Bielsa.

Every player appears to selected on the basis of his contribution to the team and its ethos rather than what they as an individual contribute. White is superior in terms of contributing to our attacking momentum than Jansson (however we badly miss Janssons aerial ability at set plays at both ends).

Harrison’s work rate and covering is superior to Clarke / Costa, but they have a more selfish cutting edge.

Bamford will add to build up play but won’t score the goals Nketiah or a billy sharp would.

Will he sacrifice Dallas who adds more in general / possession play than Ayling who is defensively better and adds height at set plays.

I get a feeling Bielsa seems to regard the centre forwards role as providing an outlet for our midfielders to bounce one twos off, and being the first wave of defence, rather than just being an out and out goal scorer. It would be interesting to see if he did have a poacher like Lineiker / Defoe at his disposal would he play him?

I think we will see the answer next week.

Pretty much how i see it. The machine functions like clockwork until it reaches the opponents penalty box, and then somehow goes into malfunction in front of goal. Players have been bought in to fix this glitch but yet the programmer seems unable to find the code and we are still running on last years script.

I though MB was keen on proper wingers, the ones who get to the byline? So far Harrison and Hernandez just contribute to the tipy-tappy in midfield. I think Nketiah can do a Defoe when he used to go out on loan years ago? its up to MB to find a system to accommodate is strengths.

[White Knight]

I get a feeling Bielsa seems to regard the centre forwards role as providing an outlet for our midfielders to bounce one twos off, and being the first wave of defence, rather than just being an out and out goal scorer. It would be interesting to see if he did have a poacher like Lineiker / Defoe at his disposal would he play him?
.

I think you could be right on this. The issue with that is you then have to have consistent goals from midfield to compensate for a reduced contribution from Bamford (or whoever) is named as striker. We don’t have anywhere enough midfield goals to say this approach is working. Pablo is below par at the moment, Klich hasn’t been scoring much in open play, Forshaw just won’t score and our wingers don’t either. In that case we see exactly what’s happening now - huge amounts of possession with no end product.

If Bielsa persists with Bamford, at this level of performance, we will do well to make the playoffs. He will not score the 20+ goals we need for a top two finish. We may be top but we have dropped points to distinctly average teams mostly because we have been caught late with a single goal. People here have said that we lost points when Bamford went off and that his substitution may have caused this. That is crazy stuff. We haven’t buried teams when we’re on top and in that situation they maintain faith that they’ll get a break, sneak a goal and we begin to fret and wobble as the fat lady clears her throat. This will only get worse as more teams come to believe they need only hang in against us and they’ll catch us.

Bamford has to be dropped. If Eddie get 2 or 3 goals we’re laughing. If he doesn’t then nothing has changed.

[Nic]

Swansea who came down from the PL last season are probably also likely to be a title challenger, they lost to forest and drew against Derby and Bristol C. It is the way of this division, not an excuse but a realism. I agree to have Bamford we need to be getting goal elsewhere, last season we scored 73, lowest of the top 5 (Derby in 6th managed 69). We do see an aggressive selfish side of him, times he took a shot when there probably was better options and tracked back and muscled a player off the ball (and conceding a foul but the will is there).

For the most part it's the same squad as last year, so we can expect the same performance unless we are trying out the new attacking options. I wonder was Nketiah Bielsa's choice or suggested to him when it looked like Roofe was going. Lets hope for a change on Saturday.

[lufctrav]

If Bamford were an elite finisher, he would never have joined Leeds United.
There is a place for him in the team, it's about finding a spot for Nketiah imo. Or Roberts slotting in at 10.

[Deleted User 5081]

I grow very tired of how fickle Leeds fans are, Stop scape goating and get to the real issues of why the team are dropping points. Patrick Bamford is being hounded by so many and for what exactly? he missed a few sitters? so blooming what, there are nine other outfield players in that team who could also be blamed for not scoring goals or being so accurate.

My point about PB not even being on the field of play when Derby equalized or when Swansea pinched their win. Come on guys I though the name of this club was Leeds United. It gets tiresome to see how fickle some are Were top of the league even with losing so many home points were still there..... Do you think that by thrashing PB will help him when he plays? No but we Leeds fans are terrible for thrashing our own players especially in the past few seasons. I am beginning to wonder what is special anymore about our fans when this garbage is happening.

If your not prepared to get behind every player of the team then don't support the club.

Am annoyed and fuming at the negativity of one of our own players. Get behind him not ridicule him.

Its the team itself who are failing as a whole and not one individual who should be scapegoated because people are upset at losing a point to Derby and other teams.