Will Dodds

Fri 30 October 2020 14:00, UK

Patrick Bamford hailed Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa for improving his game and helping the team get better since his arrival in 2018.

The former Chelsea and Middlesbrough striker has made an electric start to life in the Premier League, with six goals in his first six matches.

Often inconsistent in the Championship last year, Bamford said that Bielsa has helped him improve physically and mentally since his arrival.

Bamford joined Leeds in the summer of 2018, shortly after the Argentine’s arrival, and says the club’s progress since then “says it all” about his impact.

“Personally, I’ve changed a lot physically, mentally and I’ve got a manager who believes in me, puts his faith in me,” he told Sky Sports.

“That’s massive. He’s brought me on leaps and bounds with the training methods and sometimes tough love. He needs to a take a lot of credit, not only for me but the way our team performs. It’s roughly the same group of players that, before he arrived, were a mid-table Championship side, that says it all.”

Continual improvement

The improvement of Bamford since joining up with Bielsa has been mightily impressive, with the 27-year-old finally showing his quality at the Premier League level.

Despite receiving criticism last season, Bielsa kept faith with him and he played a major role in their promotion, scoring 16 Championship goals in 45 appearances.

However, this season he already has six goals, while also averaging more shots and key passes per match (via WhoScored). His finishing has also been impressive, with his six goals coming from an xG of just 3.8 (via FBRef).

It is not just his work in front of goal that has improved and as Bamford referenced, physicality is incredibly important in a Bielsa system.

Bamford works tirelessly as the leader of the press up top and his selfless pressing helps create space and turnovers for his teammates.

In other Leeds news, MOT View: Arsenal made massive mistake in releasing young star – Bielsa has proved it