Leeds United got back to winning ways this weekend and their Ivorian centre-back impressed.
Leeds United centre-back Sol Bamba has failed to replicate his best form for much of the season to date and he has found himself overlooked in favour of Giuseppe Bellusci and Liam Cooper when both players are fit and available.
After the 4-0 humiliation at the hands of Brighton & Hove Albion last week, it seemed likely that Bamba would drop back to the bench for Saturday’s clash with Bolton Wanders and so it proved, only for the 31-year-old to replace the injured Cooper at half-time.
And Bamba did not let his Leeds teammates down as he showed just how good he can be at the top of his game.
| Pass Accuracy | Tackles Won | Effective Clearances | Effective Headed Clearances | Duels Won | Aerials Won | Interceptions Won | Ball Recoveries | Mins Played | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sol Bamba | 91% | 2 | 11 | 11 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 45 |
Against Bolton, the former Palermo defender racked up a mightily impressive 22 effective clearances (11 with his head and 11 with his feet) and his passing accuracy of 91 per cent spoke volumes about his confidence and composure in what was a must-win match for Leeds.
Bamba also won five duels, three interceptions and five ball recoveries and overall he looked like the player he was when he first arrived at Elland Road on loan, rather than the haphazard centre-back he had become in more recent times.
Leeds manager Steve Evans will be hoping Bamba has turned a corner because he will need all his players performing at their best as he bids to end a disappointing season on a high.
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