Patrick Bamford spotted in argument with Tyler Adams for Leeds United after exact same issue with Max Wober – BBC journalists
Patrick Bamford appears to be making a habit of arguing with Leeds United teammates after his latest “spat” was highlighted by BBC reporter Jonny Buchan.
The Whites striker was spotted arguing with teammate Tyler Adams in the 2-2 draw with Brighton on Saturday (11 March), in what Buchan’s BBC colleague Adam Pope felt was the “exact same” manner as previous disagreements with defender Max Wober.
While Pope admitted that Bamford was “superb” in the draw at Elland Road, and the two journalists don’t necessarily feel the friction has to be a bad thing, it is seen as the often-injured forward lacking communication with players he hasn’t shared a pitch with enough.
Buchan said on Don’t Go To Bed Just Yet for BBC Sport (13 March, 12m): “Did you see Adams and Bamford have a little bit of a spat?
“At one point Adams played the ball up to Bamford, or what he felt was playing the ball up to him, and [Bamford] felt that [Adams] didn’t play the right ball up to him and they had a little bit of an argument.
“Then the ball dropped in between them again and then disappeared off and they continued that little argument. Not a bad thing, they’re pulling each other up on it, but clearly there’s still a lack of communication. Haven’t played a huge amount I suppose together.”
Pope replied: “No. That’s happened a bit with Wober and Bamford as well hasn’t it at times? The exact same thing.”
Frustration
Bamford has missed eight Premier League games this season so has been deprived of some time to build up an understanding with Adams, while Wober only arrived in January, but with time on the training ground in between time top level professionals should have some idea of what each other want to do by now.
That the striker is the common denominator in both arguments is more indicative of frustration on his part considering the pressure he no doubt feels after two injury-hit seasons.
Bamford’s career has been halted by fitness issues, which has seen some supporters lose patience with him, and after his strike against Brighton at the weekend (11 March) he has still only scored six senior goals since the end of the 2020/21 season.
At 29 time is starting to run out on him finding the form that saw him score 17 Premier League goals as Marcelo Bielsa’s side took the top flight by storm, and the former Middlesbrough man earn his only England cap.
Jesse Marsch, and the Leeds United hierarchy more generally, seemed intent on waiting for Bamford to return as the main striker, having failed to bring in a like-for-like back-up throughout his fitness issues, but it was he whose frustration saw him make comments to the media following the 1-0 loss at Nottingham Forest on 5 February that were widely seen as critical of the American’s tactics just before he was fired.
Rodrigo is now the main goal threat, and club-record signing Georginio Rutter has come in to play off a target man, but if Bamford is unable to hit his previous heights on a consistent basis before long the door won’t be held open forever.
He knows that as well as anyone and will be desperate to make up for lost time, so with Premier League survival on the line perhaps the pressure is showing, and relegation danger means these players will need to click to a greater degree soon to avoid it.
In other Leeds United news, Javi Gracia completely undercut an increasingly embattled part of the Elland Road hierarchy with what he has said.
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