Ex-Leeds striker Noel Whelan believes Marcelo Bielsa will stick with Patrick Bamford in the three games leading up to the international break despite his average form.
Bamford missed a number of good opportunities to score in Saturday’s 1-1 draw against Derby County, failing to score from five shots (WhoScored) but Whelan says he still sees the 26-year-old staying in the side up until the international break, at least.
Speaking to Football Insider, he said: “I don’t see Bamford being dropped.
“Bielsa is very predictable about his selection and game plan. There isn’t a plan ‘B’, just do plan ‘A’ better.
“Bamford is doing what his manager wants him to do. Eddie Nketiah is instinctive inside the box and is a different type of player to Bamford, but can he match Bamford’s work rate and hold the ball up like Bamford?
“Bamford’s work rate is excellent, he’s running into channels, pulling defenders out of position, Bielsa will be happy with him.
“Leeds have three more games before the international break and, injuries permitting, I don’t see the striker situation changing.”
Whelan has a point here, because it’s not the first time Bamford has had a rough patch and Bielsa has stayed loyal to him.
Last season, Bamford only scored three times between March 20 and the end of the season, and yet he still started all nine games during that period.
Whether that’s the best approach to take is another question, but what does seem certain is that if a player is part of Bielsa’s plan A, as Whelan puts it, he keeps his faith in them.
Whelan also has a point when it comes to Eddie Nketiah not being as suited to the role Bielsa likes his striker to play, such as being involved in the build-up.
According to WhoScored, Bamford makes an average of 12.9 passes per game at a success rate of 78.6% yet Nketiah only makes 4.2 per game on average with a success rate of 66.7%.
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