Patrick Bamford

[kiwibloke]

The set up for Pablo's goal against Hull and the set up for the chance Bamford missed against Huddersfield were similar.
When Pablo received his chance he turned and instantly slotted the ball into the far corner giving the Hull goal keeper no time to react. However, Bamford turned looked up and tried to angle the ball into the goal but the delay enabled the goal keeper time to block his shot.

Pablo scored on instinct something Bamford appears to lack.

[Otherworld]

The set up for Pablo's goal against Hull and the set up for the chance Bamford missed against Huddersfield were similar.
When Pablo received his chance he turned and instantly slotted the ball into the far corner giving the Hull goal keeper no time to react. However, Bamford turned looked up and tried to angle the ball into the goal but the delay enabled the goal keeper time to block his shot.

Pablo scored on instinct something Bamford appears to lack.

Not sure about that. His goal on Saturday was a fine example of anticipation and speed of thought/movement. His defender was all over him, nearly pulling the shirt off his back, but as soon as White headed the ball, Bamford was on the move, and knocked it in before his marker knew where the ball was. Great bit of instinctive goal-poaching.

[kiwibloke]

He followed up to tap the ball home. With all due respect I do not see much instinct with that.

[White Knight]

He followed up to tap the ball home. With all due respect I do not see much instinct with that.

While I admire PB’s work rate, I’m not a fan of his, but I was delighted with his goal on Saturday. It’s what I’ve wanted to see him do all season - get to the right place at the right time. It’s harder than you think and there is a considerable instinctive element to it. So top marks for me to Bamford for this goal. If he continues to get this right for the next 9 games then we’re home and hosed.

[PhoenixUnited]

A team is the sum of ALL its parts. We are top of the league. I struggle to see where the argument is.

Tinker with one bit of it and there is a knock on / ripple effect that impacts ALL the others. There is no absolute guarantee that any tinkering will be positive

[Another Northern Soul]

A team is the sum of ALL its parts. We are top of the league. I struggle to see where the argument is.

Tinker with one bit of it and there is a knock on / ripple effect that impacts ALL the others. There is no absolute guarantee that any tinkering will be positive

If a striker does not possess any 'instinct' then he shouldn't be playing football, but to heap praise on Bamford for his instinct with that tap-in goal from yard out in the opposition's penalty area is a bit rich for me

He is an important part of a very good team at the moment and is playing decently, long may it continue, he's a good lad and the team is better with him in it IMHO.

[johnh]

A team is the sum of ALL its parts. We are top of the league. I struggle to see where the argument is.

Tinker with one bit of it and there is a knock on / ripple effect that impacts ALL the others. There is no absolute guarantee that any tinkering will be positive

I would say that a team is the sum of all its parts except main striker and goalkeeper. If the main striker is firing blanks then 0 - 0 draws or 1 - 0 wins (if a defender scores) is usually the outcome. If a goalkeeper makes a couple of mistakes you can find yourself 2 - 0 down no matter how well the team is playing.

This was highlighted in our run of 1 - 0 wins (when we should have been 3 or 4 goals up). We got 3 points but only because, in a couple of games, the opposition hit the woodwork instead of scoring the equaliser. Bamford scores a tap-in and all the open goals he missed are forgotten. When we are promoted, we need a quality striker.

[PhoenixUnited]

A team is the sum of ALL its parts. We are top of the league. I struggle to see where the argument is.

Tinker with one bit of it and there is a knock on / ripple effect that impacts ALL the others. There is no absolute guarantee that any tinkering will be positive

I would say that a team is the sum of all its parts except main striker and goalkeeper. If the main striker is firing blanks then 0 - 0 draws or 1 - 0 wins (if a defender scores) is usually the outcome. If a goalkeeper makes a couple of mistakes you can find yourself 2 - 0 down no matter how well the team is playing.

This was highlighted in our run of 1 - 0 wins (when we should have been 3 or 4 goals up). We got 3 points but only because, in a couple of games, the opposition hit the woodwork instead of scoring the equaliser. Bamford scores a tap-in and all the open goals he missed are forgotten. When we are promoted, we need a quality striker.

I don't completely agree with this. If a striker is firing blanks but contributes markedly to the overall team effort - as Patrick Bamford has done practically all season - then he adds to the team benefit. We still have a very healthy goal difference which will equate to at least one point in the final shake-up. Another striker firing blanks but who is only making any kind of effort when he has the ball would not work for us in the present set-up. This is why Marcelo Bielsa has stuck with him. A case of horses for courses although us fans have had plenty to say about it all.

As for the goalkeeper, we have enjoyed a style of play where he has had relatively little to do in most of the games. Less important but hellishly crucial. Someone like Felix Wiedwald for example would simply not work. We have (IMHO) endured a madcap keeper in Casillas who is OK as a shot stopper but about useless coming off his line for crosses and the like. What is needed is someone who is "on it" for whatever he is required to do - perhaps a steadying hand and decent distribution ? - and considering that we are top of the league he must have contributed enough. Again - horses for courses.

Going forward things will in all likelyhood chage but for now we have just what we need which also includes for a rub of the green at times.