Sky Sports pundit Tim Sherwood decries Patrick Bamford regression as Leeds United lose at Everton
Patrick Bamford was a “shadow of his old self” for Leeds United in the damaging defeat to Everton, according to Tim Sherwood.
The Whites striker battled fruitlessly up front as the whole team underperformed and lost 1-0 in the relegation six-pointer, with few chances coming his way aside from a shot that went narrowly wide in the first half.
After Everton went ahead through Seamus Coleman after the hour there appeared to be little chance for Leeds United to fight back into the match when producing so little going forward, and Sky Sports pundit Sherwood dismissed Bamford as a long way short of his best.
Speaking on Sky Sports Soccer Saturday (18 February, 4.33pm) Jeff Stelling asked if the Whites were threatening to come back into the game, and Sherwood answered: “Not really. I still think Leeds have got some danger going forward. They’ve struggled to score but they’ve got that pace.
“[Willy] Gnonto we know, and [Crysencio] Summerville’s come off now so they’ve lost that a little bit of the pace.
“Patrick Bamford, he’s a shadow of his old self unfortunately for Leeds.”
Harsh?
Bamford may not be at his very best at the moment, but he would have had to be playing out of his skin at Goodison Park to get anything going on his own.
As a lone striker he kept James Tarkowski and Conor Coady busy by fighting for long balls played to head, and came short in an attempt to link play.
But, much like in the defeat at Nottingham Forest which saw his comments afterwards widely criticised as they were seen as contributing to Jesse Marsch’s sacking, he was outnumbered and overwhelmed by the home defence.
The rest of the Leeds United attack couldn’t get anything going in a concerning performance, so it is difficult to lay the blame completely at the number nine’s door.
His presence at least provided some shape, and while he was hardly the sharpest he has ever been he was by no means the worst offender.
Rarely if ever were runners getting beyond him, and even when the ball was spread wide there was little in the way of service from crosses.
Based on the showing on Merseyside, and the resulting position in the Premier League table, this team has got significant problems but Bamford didn’t look like he was the biggest one on a very disappointing day.
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