Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford has started off the new season in a positive fashion.
Lee Hendrie has admitted that he has ‘always had a big question mark’ about Patrick Bamford as a prolific goalscorer, but he believes this is the season where Leeds will see ‘the best’ of the striker.
The 25-year-old has enjoyed a strong start to the Championship season, scoring three goals for Leeds, and starting every Championship encounter, including the one on Wednesday night.
Whilst Bamford wasn’t able to find the back of the net during Leeds’ 1-0 win over Brentford, his strike partner, Eddie Nketiah was the hero of the night because he came off the bench to net the winner.
Speaking to Sky Sports Football (21/08/2019 at 7:30 pm), former Aston Villa midfielder Hendrie made a bold claim about what Bamford might do this season.
“I have always had a big question mark over Bamford, I really have,” Hendrie told Sky Sports Football. “There’s no doubt that he has got stacks of ability. I look at past form and he hasn’t exactly been prolific enough for me.
“But is that due to the fact that he’s at a club, he’s been shipped out, left right and centre. He’s had no solidity for me. He’s come into Leeds last season, done a good job, scored nine or so goals.
“I think this season we are going to see the best out of this young man. I just think now being at a fantastic club, very attack-minded team and Bielsa’s given him confidence. ‘You’re the number one striker, go and show us what you can do’ – I feel he has so much to offer, we just haven’t seen enough of it.”
As things stand, Bamford is Marcelo Bielsa’s number one striker, but Arsenal loanee Nketiah is breathing down his neck.
Bielsa likes to work with a small squad and he is very loyal to the players he selects in the starting XI, so Bamford might still be starting on a regular basis despite Nketiah’s performances.
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