Paul Robinson has told Stadium Astro that he thinks Marcelo Bielsa has built his Leeds United team around Patrick Bamford, even though he used to lack fight.
Bamford has been in excellent form for Leeds this season, and has certainly repaid his manager’s faith.
When Leeds were promoted there was a widespread feeling that the Whites would need to go after a new number nine, but Bamford has actually been one of Leeds’ best performing players since promotion.
The 27-year-old has netted eight goals in 11 games, to prove he can find the way to goal, even at the top level.
And Robinson thinks that Bamford has improved a great deal under Bielsa so far.
“I think he’s improved. He’s 27 and has had 10 clubs. But Patrick is one of these footballers, I was with him at Burnley, that a manager will look at and say there’s something there,” Robinson explained.
“There’s a top quality footballer there. He can finish, he can play, he’s got a brain and off the field he’s a really genuinely nice lad as well.
“But there was something that was missing, there was heart and fight that wasn’t in his game, but the manager will look at say I can get the best out of him.
“He seems to have found a manager who likes what he can do off the ball and has put him into a mould where he knows what’s expected of him.
“Bielsa has almost built a team around him and he’s made that position his own.”
If Bamford continues to score at his current rate then the calls for Leeds to go out and sign a new striker will surely quieten down come January.
Bamford took his goal at the weekend very well, as he went around Edouard Mendy in the Chelsea goal and slotted home.
That strike actually gave Leeds an advantage at Stamford Bridge, but they were unable to hold on, as they slipped to a 3-1 defeat.
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