Leeds United are not having the best of runs of late but have managed to stay relevant in the promotion battle. A 2-1 win against Blackburn Rovers is a morale-booster prior to the international break. However, a match-winning display from Patrick Bamford must have relieved Marcelo Bielsa amid the injury concern of in-form Eddie Nketiah.
Bamford not only scored from the spot but also set it up for Jack Harrison to double the lead around the 35th-minute mark. It was his first goal since August, and the Whites’ ‘number 9’ received plaudits from the fans as well as pundits, having been a subject of criticism for weeks due to his wastefulness high up the pitch.
“This is a player with a big character and a big personality. He took the responsibility (for the penalty), which isn’t easy for him.”
Bielsa hailed (as quoted by the Yorkshire Post) the 26-year-old who drew an end to his 10-game goal drought in style.
Attack Remains A Concern For Leeds United
A few things, meanwhile, must be bothering the gaffer despite the outcome on Saturday afternoon. Helder Costa’s dreadful run is a worrying sign whereas the percentage of conversion is yet to improve to match the standard being set by West Bromwich Albion and Preston North End.
“At that moment it was difficult to think the opponent could score. But after they scored, everything changed. After we scored twice, we had 10 or 12 chances but in the first and the second half, we had a lot of spaces to attack. We didn’t take advantage of that as much as we should.”
Defence Is On Song For The Whites
While the Argentine highlighted the shortcomings once again, Rovers boss Tony Mowbray acknowledged ( As reported by Lancashire Live) the Whites’ defensive resilience which prevented them from staging a comeback.
“They’ve got the best defence in the league, I think they’re an amazing team at pressing the ball, closing you down and not allowing you to build up slowly.”
Leeds have conceded only nine goals in 16 league games – a number that is significantly low compared to their fellow counterparts. Ben White has been a revelation in the heart of the backline, and the emergence of Kalvin Phillips in the ‘hole’ has added more balance as well as stability in the defensive third.
However, they must fix their attacking conundrum and find a way out to add more goals to the game. It’s high time that a few stars (like Costa) step up and deliver to avoid yet another heartbreak in the culminating period of this intriguing campaign.
