In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Rob Lee, who featured 332 times for Newcastle United, claims that Leeds United don’t have anyone else in their squad who can perform the role that Patrick Bamford does.
Marcelo Bielsa has always stood by Bamford despite many people doubting his ability to perform in the Premier League when Leeds won promotion from the Championship and if his injury keeps him out of the game against Fulham it would be a huge blow.
Will Leeds be fine without Bamford?
Yes, he’s replaceable!
No, he’s the main man!
Bamford currently has 14 goals in the Premier League, but before this season he had managed just one goal in 27 appearances for several different clubs and Lee admits the striker has scored way more goals than he expected him to.
Bamford was a doubt for the clash against Fulham because of a hip injury, before needing treatment twice at Craven Cottage and being taken off at 76 minutes, which could be a worry over the remainder of the campaign.
Speaking on how Bielsa has made Bamford such an important player and how they should have someone in a similar mould to the striker for when he gets injured, Lee told FFC exclusively:
“No, they can’t do what Bamford does because that’s the way Leeds are built to play with just that one upfront, and he acts like a target man who scores a lot of goals.
“He’s scored a lot more goals than I thought he would this year. He’s always been there or thereabouts with a lot of loan moves from Chelsea, but he’s come on leaps and bounds this year.
“The club should know that nobody can do his job so they should have got somebody who can replace him. Maybe, not as good but someone who will do it for a few games if he gets injured.”
Leeds have taken to the Premier League like a duck to water and find themselves 12th, just five points behind Arsenal.
Bamford may count himself unlucky to have missed out on another England squad with Ollie Watkins being preferred to him this time around, but he did pick up an injury that forced him off against Chelsea.