BAMFORD BASHES AWAY ON RECOVERY NET GOOD ENOUGH
Lack of goals bothering Bielsa
MARCELO BIELSA admits he is worried that Leeds’ goals have dried up this season.
Leeds have scored just seven from their first seven Premier League games compared to 13 over the same period last year.
They also netted 64 times to finish ninth during the last campaign and their lack of goals is a major factor behind their sluggish start.
Bielsa concedes it is a concern and says Leeds cannot blame England striker Patrick Bamford’s continued absence with an ankle injury.
The Leeds boss wants his side to be more creative and clinical at Southampton today and said:
“I don’t think it depends on Patrick.
“We can construct our offensive game in a collective manner.
“Of course, having a player who converts the chances increases the possibility of getting more goals.
“If you ask me if it worries me, then I say yes. I would like to create more chances on goal and to increase the efficiency in taking those chances.
“Both things have margin for improvement. If Patrick were here, we would enjoy the contribution he makes. But in a parallel way, we are also ready to be at the same level in the games when he’s not here.”
Bamford has been out since damaging his ankle at Newcastle a month ago and says Leeds’ injured players have started their own fight club to relieve the boredom of rehabilitation.
Liam Cooper got a body bag from a boxing pal back home in Hull and newly-injured players must put it on and take a few digs from their team-mates.
Beatings
Bamford said: “We just say to everybody who steps into the gym who hasn’t been in for a while, ‘You’ve got to get in it and take a few beatings’.
“You have to take a punch from each newly-injured player.
“I’ve been in it and had to let let them have a go at me. It gets the mood up.”