Patrick Bamford: what about that then, guys?
As the clock ticked past 61 minutes at Deepdale on Tuesday night, with Leeds hammering away against a 10 man but stubborn Preston side, United’s number 9 Patrick Bamford strode on to a rebound off the wedding tackle of Pablo Hernandez, and absolutely lashed the ball past helpless North End keeper Declan Rudd, to the delight of the massed Whites behind the home goal.
It was that vital breakthrough goal we knew we just had to score. Preston were down to ten men, Norwich and Sheffield Utd would play the following day. Leeds needed to get the three points to put the pressure back on their rivals. Bamford’s lethal finish was spectacular, but it was also a sign of his bravery and self-belief. Some shots hit from that position fly into row Z, some fizz narrowly wide, strike the woodwork or draw a brilliant save from the keeper. Relatively few arrow into the corner, threatening to break the net. Bamford had the confidence to try, and was richly rewarded.
That confidence and bravery brought us the much-needed moment of joy and relief. Bamford’s immediate reaction was telling; he ran to the away support, cupping his ear as if to say “Now what do you think?” It was the action of a man who had had to take some pretty ridiculous criticism and half-baked judgement after missing a few chances during a mini-drought recently. Whatever happened, we may ask, to the old saying about “you have to get there in order to miss ’em”. Half of any good striker’s work is getting into scoring positions. But that clearly means nothing to the armchair experts that make up too big a proportion of United’s support (for want of a more appropriate word). Bamford cupped his ear to the travelling faithful, but the gesture was indirectly aimed at the clueless section of social media Whites.
Clearly, Bamford is a great pro and a decent striker. In his limited contribution to this season, he’s scored some vital goals and, if the season is to be crowned with success, he’ll have done his bit. He also knows the score, and he’s fully aware that the people he can rely on to support and encourage him are inside the club, at Thorp Arch, or lining up beside him on the pitch. For the fans to enter that circle of trust, we would need to eliminate the carping criticism, the petulant knee-jerk reactions and the clueless assumption that the terrace denizens know best. As fans, we have to earn the trust and confidence of the players, in which case we’d all be better placed to succeed.
Will that ever happen? Is it too much to ask? The last few games of an epic season might just give us some sort of an answer to those deeply vexed questions.
Marching On Together
Life, Leeds United, the Universe & Everything 
Well said Rob. Let’s hope that Patrick has the good sense to read your website to know that most of us appreciate his efforts. On another note, thank you Birmingham for drawing with the Blades and putting the automatic promotion place back in our control..
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Agree with most of this apart from this wasn’t only aimed at the negative social media fans but also aimed at the fans who were there, in Bamfords own words he said that before the game he was getting sarcastic taunts from a small number of our own fans.
This has been an amazing season and as always our fans have been great, however a small number of fans need to get off players backs!
The ear cupping is no different to when Chris Wood scored who was getting stick from fans!
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Love reading your posts Rob….I agree with most of your views…Patrick is a decent player and the Leeds crowd shouldn’t get on his back so quickly, he’s a human being after all and he does give 100% every game..but and it’s a big but, he’s not a twenty goals a season striker.
That’s the story of our season, wasted chances in front of goal, can you imagine a Dwight Gale or dare I say it a Che Adams playing for us? we would already be promoted by now.
On a completely different subject has anyone heard anything on our centenary kit? I would personally like the home kit to be blue and gold halved shirts, black shorts and blue and gold hooped socks along with an all white away kit along with our famous sock tags…just a thought..what do you think?
Keep the faith..MOT.
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Cheers mate – I’m a traditionalist as far as all white goes – so I’d probably vote for a reversal of your idea, with the retro kit you suggest for away games. MOT
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Morning Rob, i am pleased for the lad his over all performance was very good, Tuesday night will give do his confidence a world of good . M.O.T
Regards H..
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I’m not keen on ear cupping Rob, even to opposition fans.
The t’internet criticisers probably weren’t there and those of us who would have started Roofe were ecstatic to be proven wrong.
Please keep it up Lord Bamford!
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Like it or not, the lads have to have a way of venting the frustration they must occasionally feel MOT
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Well said Rob, I agree completely. All our players, at this stage of the season, need out support, I’m looking forward to Jack Harrison scoring a hat-trick now just to shut another load of gobshites up. We’re so close now, not sure if my beta-blockers will keep me going over the next few weeks 😁 Only 6 points behind the six-fingered farmers now, or is that a step too far??? ALAW
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Anything’s possible, owt can still ‘appen. It’s a funny old game, etc etc. MOT
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Those lads go out there to win every match but life is cruel and you do not get what you want for lots of reasons. The fans job is to encourage the lads all the way and in every game even if the match is not going the Leeds way. Negative comments help no one and no team. With that said….come on lads five games to go do the best you can I’ll still support you no matter what just do the best possible for each game. ALAW MOT
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Bloody well said MOT
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Spot on Rob & sweet Karma for Paddy bagging that fabulous brace on Tuesday showing form is temporary & class permanent. This is backed up by his goals to minutes played ratio which is the third best of any player in the Championship.
Yes his playing time has been limited but he’s scored some vital winners for us now in quite a few games & the full support of the fans for the last 5 games is vital especially at Elland Road.
He’s a true professional and he will know that the majority of Leeds fans are fully behind him and the team with just a handful of idiots heckling him at Preston & likewise on Twitter.
Let’s give the boys every last ounce of our support now for the run in & just keep everything crossed that they cap a fabulous season with automatic promotion MOT GET IN
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MOT – nail on head
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Well said Rob. Personally, I think that giving any of our players stick from the terraces just turns our support into our rival’s 12th man because the opposition players immediately pick up on “unrest” and anxiety amongst our supporters and it spurs them on to battle even harder against us
Every fan has a right to have and express their opinion but it is better to express those views amongst friends in the pub following the game rather than whilst our players are trying their hardest to win every game
I am no psychiatrist Rob but I have never known anyone become more confident and motivated by being repeatedly criticised or verbally abused
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I think we’re both psychiatrists enough to see the basic common sense behind that – MOT
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Just a comment on Bamford not being a 20 goal a season man, he and Roofe have 23 between them despite one or the other, for one reason or another, not playing. I think 9 goals from the games he’s been involved in is a pretty good return, hope he keeps it up in the PL next season 😁 ALAW
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Absolutely agree. However please don’t just dismiss the “armchair critics” just like that. I am disabled and unable to attend matches but 100% behind the whites
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I say armchair critics as distinct from armchair or any other supporters.
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Good point you make regarding Bamford’s confidence. Taking that shot on took some bottle and he buried it.
He’s capable of scoring tap ins, headers and from distance. What’s not to like!
BTW things going well at the P.O.D since the new man has signed a lucrative multi year deal that will never reach fruition. Happy days.MOT
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Indeed! Either we’re marching on together or we’re not.
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