Phil Hay: Jesse Marsch did not have Patrick Bamford complete full Leeds United training session
Patrick Bamford did not complete the full training session in his Leeds United return on Thursday, according to Phil Hay.
The Athletic journalist was giving the low-down on the first week of Jesse Marsch, who has been boosted by some big injury returns.
Bamford was spotted and could be involved at Leicester this afternoon, but it looks as though he won’t be ready for a start.
Writing for The Athletic on Friday afternoon (04 March), Hay shared that Bamford’s return wasn’t all that it seemed.
“The long days Bielsa preferred, packed with physical work and video analysis, are about to shorten,” he wrote.
“As a very useful starting point, Marsch had Patrick Bamford on the grass on Thursday (albeit without putting him through the whole of the main session).
“Bielsa set strict conditions for players to play: weight targets, running stats, completion of murderball. Marsch, when it comes to assessing availability, might take a softer line.”
Smart?
It will have been a demoralising few months for Bamford, not being able to contribute every single week after smashing it last season.
Marsch will have known that, and looks to have made the perfect choice of bringing him back into the group for small bits, and looking at the smile on his face, it looks to have worked.
Bamford will be ready to contribute today, but it will more than likely be off the bench, something that could be huge for the Whites if the game is tight.
The England international and his predatory instinct has been missed hugely, and if he was to come back and make a difference, Marsch will have played a blinder already.
Fingers crossed this ends well, with Marsch already using different methods for his previously injured players than Marcelo Bielsa.
In other Leeds United news, Jeff Stelling has shared what he has been told about the injury blow to Patrick Bamford over the past week