The Bamford enigma

Don’t know that he wasn’t the same person against the shammers - he’s had a fair few innocuous games - he just missed some chances. All strikers miss chances.

He’s done great this season... has taken a decent amount of his chances, (had a few var’s not go his way too) his xg is reasonable (it was desperate last season)

... but he still tops the ‘big chances missed table.

It is what it is, he’s a great team player, but not an instinctive goal scorer. On balance he’s been way better than I expected this season and has some credit in the bank for a sticky patch.

Do we need better if we want to progress in the next couple of years, probably and at the very least we need some serious competition, in my opinion.

comment by Lorralorimer (U18994)
posted 33 minutes ago
He'll do till the end of the season but we need to buy another striker in summer. At the moment Paddy doesn't have to fight for his position - he's in need of some competition to keep him on his toes.
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What about Roberts isn't he a striker? Scored as many as Aguero in the premiership this season so he must be good surely.

He’s done us proud! Works his socks off every game, has kept himself fit and injury free...we’d be bolloxed without him!

Remember the disallowed goal he scored from the cross that had gone out of play?

He looked very sharp for that finish.

I don't get why people don't give him credit for getting the chances in the first place as well as his overall team play.

Do we need another striker? YES! We need an alternative in his position to provide some real competition and for when he's off the boil or injured.

He's done us proud this season and it hasn't ended yet. He's very much a confidence player, so let's not get on his back too quickly!

Not sure how much football of other teams people watch, but watch any of the best players in the world, they all miss chances as well.

I watched PSG - Barcelona yesterday and Barcelona missed countless chances, Mbappe smashed a 1-1 over the bar.

Bamford misses chances, sometimes ones that he should be taking but he's got 13 goals this season and has done brilliantly. If he had scored all the ones we say he should, he'd be top scorer in PL.

The only problem I see is Bamford has scored more goals then anyone here have or ever will for Leeds United!..

Its known as fans always wanting the best, problem is the best if we had it wouldn't be good enough!..

So how many would another top striker have scored in our team. We create a lot of chances, Paddy’s movement undoubtedly contributes to that, as does his contribution to our build up play and pressing to win the ball back.

statistically other strikers would take more of the chances... but would we have as many to take?

It’s Impossible to say without playing an alternative - one things for sure, they’d need to offer his around game and be a finisher... such players are not 10 a penny on the transfer market.

comment by milkyboy (U12731)
posted 11 hours, 52 minutes ago
Don’t know that he wasn’t the same person against the shammers - he’s had a fair few innocuous games - he just missed some chances. All strikers miss chances.

He’s done great this season... has taken a decent amount of his chances, (had a few var’s not go his way too) his xg is reasonable (it was desperate last season)

... but he still tops the ‘big chances missed table.

It is what it is, he’s a great team player, but not an instinctive goal scorer. On balance he’s been way better than I expected this season and has some credit in the bank for a sticky patch.

Do we need better if we want to progress in the next couple of years, probably and at the very least we need some serious competition, in my opinion.
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Very good comments, Milky. I was dreading Bamford in the Premier LEague, but he has proven himself to be a great asset. I used to think that he wasn’t a natural goal score, but then he produces that run and finish against Chelsea, or his shimmy in the box against Villa, to clip the ball into the left corner, and I can see genuine talent there. There is a striker in there, but he just needs a little boost every now and again.
I would love to see him crack 20 goals for the season, though.

... yeh he's not short of talent, has a lovely left foot. It's more the fox in the box instinctive finishing i was referring to... scrambled goals in the box, clean hits from first time chances, like the pull back on monday from Raph. Maybe that's as much just being a bit one footed. Not a natural header of the ball.

I think when bielsa was trying to work out how to play bamford and nketiah, what he really wanted was one striker with both their attributes. Might cost a few bob if you can find him!

A lot of good points raised in this thread. Sure, Bamford is not a natural instinctive 6 yard box poacher like Sniffer or a Lineker type but he gives so much with the pressing which you would not get from a Billy Sharp type.
As has been said, someone with all Bamford's qualities who was also a deadly finisher would not be cheap and certainly would not be picked up for the 7M we gave for Bamford