It’s hat-trick Bamford!
Leeds striker bags a hat-trick as Bielsa’s men go third in table
WHEN Patrick Bamford, surrounded as he was by four Aston Villa defenders, opened up his body to side foot the ball ambitiously towards the far corner of the goal, it was clear by then exactly what was going to happen. Goal number three. Hat-trick.
Sometimes centre forwards happen upon runs of form and confidence like this and Bamford has certainly waited long enough for his. Prior to this season, the 27- year- old had played topflight football for Crystal Palace, Norwich, Burnley and Middlesbrough. All of that was a bit of a struggle, enough to make one wonder if he was really good enough.
Well here was more evidence that some players just have to be a little more patient than others. These were goals four, five and six of Bamford’s league season so far. The first was a tap in, the second a piece of beauty from 25 yards and the third something of a work of art. Yes, he appears to be good enough and, coming in the space of 19 second- half minutes, Bamford’s goals won the game deservedly for Leeds.
Villa were game throughout as they looked for the point that would take them top of the table. But ultimately Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds team were better by a distance. This result did not flatter them, so cohesive were they from the very first moment, and they moved up to third, two points behind Villa.
A Friday night under the lights at Villa Park would have been something to behold had this grand old stadium been full. As it was, only a pay-per-view TV audience was able to see these two enterprising teams exchange firsthalf chances.
Leeds were missing players but that did nothing to change the way they played. Villa had to stand firm early on and were forced to play much of their football on the break. But when they did break forward, they created chances. It all made for an attractive spectacle in opening 45 minutes and all the game wanted for was a goal.
Leeds’ passing was terrific rrific at times, Bielsa’s players ers making nice, effective ve angles to get behind the e Villa back four. Indeed they only had to wait four minutes for their first good chance, Patrick Bamford diving to head a cross from Ezgjan Alioski wide of the near post. That was s the pattern of things for a while as Leeds and by probed the time persistently ere we had played just eleven minutes they had threatened twicece againagain.
A long-range shot from Alioski was saved by Emiliano Martinez while just before that the Villa defence was opened up beautifully by a combination between Alioski and Jack Harrison down the left side. When the ball was played back to Rodrigo Moreno, he seemed set to score but his rising shot struck a Villa defender and went behind for a corner.
Villa were yet to really threaten by this stage and by the time Ross Barkley did force a save from Illan Meslier in the 17th minute Leeds had already made their first substitution. Pascal Strujk was not injinjured but having been booked for a foul on Jack Grealish he was lucky to escape a second card for an almost immediate follow-up offence on Douglas Luiz and was taken off before Leeds found themselves down to 10 men.
The visitors’ attacking threat did not diminish but at the same time Villa did begin to threaten. Stuart Dallas gave the ball straight to Trezeguet midway through the half but was rescued by the Egyptian’s inability to beat his man and shoot. Then, in the 26th minute, Trezeguet’s miscued shot from an Ollie Watkins pass fell to Grealish and his low effort was cleared from the goalline by Leeds captain Luke Ayling. It would have been a goal against the run of play but replays showed just how close it was. Grealish also appealed for a penalty when falling under a Helder Costa challenge but VAR replays showed the contact — such as it was — to have been accidental. Just before the half ended, meanwhile, Leeds threatened again when a low cross from Harrison was poked just wide by Bamford as he made contact first time on the run.
Bamford did not have to wait long for his goal, eventually giving Leeds an advantage 10 minutes in to the second half. Just before that, though, Grealish came very close to scoring a picture book goal of his own. Picking the ball up on the left hand side, the Villa captain drove hard across the top of the penalty area to leave three Leeds defenders in his wake. Each time he looked ready to shoot, Grealish delayed and when he did put his right foot through it, it took a good close range by Meslier to deny him.
It felt like a big moment at the time and so it proved as almost immediately Leeds broke through. It was a move typical of the way Bielsa’s team play, the ball being moved swiftly across the field. The key pass came from Harrison to Rodrigo and when his low shot was saved Bamford turned the ball in from five yards. Bamford’s
fourth goal in six Premier League games, it was not his last. soon after he went down heavily after tussling with Tyrone Mings. VAR checked for a penalty but there was no foul. not that it mattered.
soon after, Bamford received the ball 25 yards from goal and, given a criminal amount of time by the Villa defenders, shifted the ball from one foot to the other and whipped a shot high in to the top corner.
Bamford was given too much space again eight minutes later. This time he was inside the area to receive the ball after neat interplay between Costa and Jamie shackleton. once more he showed great dexterity and the ball was heading in from the moment it left his instep.
ASTON VILLA (4-2-3-1): Martinez 6; Cash 5.5, Konsa 6, Mings 6, Targett 5; McGinn 6.5, Douglas Luiz 6; Trezeguet 6 (Traore 66min, 6), Barkley 5.5, Grealish 6.5; Watkins 5.5. Subs not used: Steer, Hourihane, Nakamba, Engels, Elmohamady, Davis. Booked: Grealish, Mings. Manager: Dean Smith 5.
LEEDS UNITED (4-1-4-1): Meslier 7; Dallas 6.5, Koch 7, Ayling 7.5, Alioski 7; Struijk 4.5 (Shackleton 21, 6.5); Helder Costa 7.5 (Raphinha 83), Klich 7, Rodrigo 8 (Hernandez 79), Harrison 8; BAMFORD 8.5. Subs not used: Casilla, Poveda, Roberts, Davis. Scorer: Bamford 55, 67, 74. Booked: Struijk, Alioski. Manager: Marcelo Bielsa 8.5. Referee: Paul Tierney 6.5.