Eddie Gray lauds Leeds striker Patrick Bamford’s improvement

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Eddie Gray has told The Leeds United Show that he believes that Patrick Bamford has improved to no end in the last few months following a landmark strike for the forward  on Monday.

Bamford continues to silence his critics with his form for Marcelo Bielsa’s side. The Englishman is already into double figures for the campaign and is closing in on matching the tally he achieved during the entirety of Leeds’ promotion-winning season.

He scored his 12th league goal this week as Leeds beat Crystal Palace 2-0 at Elland Road. It was also the 100th club goal of Bamford’s career.

Few seemed to expect the 27-year-old to be so prolific at the highest level. And Gray suggested that Bamford epitomises how the players seem to now feel at home at English football’s top table.

“I think more and more the players are getting confident. I think they’ve always been confident in the way they play the game. I think they believe in the way they play the game,” he told The Leeds United Show. “But I think they’re getting more confident as individuals. I think they realise now, regardless of who they’re playing in the Premier League, they can be a match for them.

“I look at Patrick Bamford. 100 goals, it’s a great achievement. But his game’s improved no end in recent months. He’s always worked hard, but his contribution to the side now, the runs he’s making in behind defenders, I think everybody’s just stepped up.”

Bielsa deserves a lot of credit for putting so much faith in Bamford. It was a brave call to stick with him at the start of this campaign – particularly with Leeds breaking their club record to sign Rodrigo in the summer.

But Bamford – who earns £35,000-a-week, according to Spotrac – has vindicated that faith in emphatic fashion. He is one of the highest scorers in the league this season. And there is every reason to believe that his purple patch can continue for some time to come yet.