How Leeds United benefitted from Patrick Bamford's return against Norwich City - with one key element missing - YEP 14/3/22

Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford made his first start in 25 weeks against Norwich City at Elland Road on Sunday.

By Flora Snelson

The Whites forward, who scored 17 Premier League goals last season, has mostly had to watch from the sidelines as United have limped through their second top-flight campaign.

The cavalry looked to have well and truly arrived when Bamford made a show-stopping return from a nine-game injury lay-off against Brentford in December as the number nine scored a late equaliser to rescue a point for his side.

But the striker's impact was short-lived, as the celebration that followed his equaliser prompted another lengthy spell off the pitch.

Jesse Marsch was anxious, therefore, about the pace of Bamford's return - too much too soon, and the American risked losing the forward to injury again.

Following a successful second-half introduction against Aston Villa, Bamford returned to the starting line-up for Leeds' crucial bottom-of-the-table clash against Norwich City.

And it was the right call by Marsch.

The sight of the Bamford lining up before kick off gave the Elland Road crowd a much-needed boost on a nervous afternoon in LS11, and the fans made their delight known by singing his name loudly just as the game was about to start.

It was as though he'd never been away. Bamford pressed assertively from the word 'go'. As Max Aarons looked to play a pass to his back line in the third minute, the all-guns blazing manner in which Bamford flitted indecisively between Ozan Kabak and Ben Gibson was something for the home crowd to relish after months watching United's attack blunted in the absence of their frontman.

Then, when his side had the ball, the striker continually made darting runs of the kind Leeds have badly missed over the course of his lay-off, and refused to let his efforts go unnoticed as he waved and pointed his arms to make his presence known.

Throughout the first half, Bamford's capacity to protect the ball and slow down the attack played a vital role in the home side's impressive chance creation. In the eighth minute, Bamford came short to receive a pass from Dan James and play the ball to Adam Forshaw, before returning to his duties of getting under the feet of the back line. This simple move bought time for attacking reinforcements to get in front of the ball and create offensive options.

Bamford looked frustrated in the 13th minute when a defensive mix up required Illan Meslier to rush out of his box to boot the ball away from danger. The 'keeper's clearance went off for a throw not far from where Bamford was waiting for the long-ball over the top, and the striker's frustration told of how hungry Bamford was to get on the ball and attack the Norwich goal.

This appetite had a part to play in Leeds' opener. This time, Diego Llorente spotted Bamford's intentions and launched a long ball toward the attacker, which fell short of its target but was claimed by James to set up Rodrigo's goal.

It was an afternoon of adjustment, perhaps, across the Whites' team. With Leeds in the ascendancy after Rodrigo's goal, both Luke Ayling and Adam Forshaw missed chances to play Bamford through within a three-minute period.

The striker got his wish when James, with freedom on the edge of the box, chipped the ball over the Canaries' back line into Bamford's path, but the striker could not reach it as another chance to double the hosts' lead went begging.

Bamford ought to have been awarded an assist on the half hour mark as Raphinha squandered the biggest chance of the half. The striker skilfully brought down a long cross-field pass from the the Brazilian and played it neatly back into Raphinha's path, but the winger's effort agonisingly struck the crossbar.

The pair linked up again ten minutes later. With Leeds outnumbering the visitors on the attack, Raphinha gave Bamford the ball on the edge of the box. With bags of space and time, the England international took a breath before striking the ball, which flew well over Tim Krul's crossbar.

Shortly after, Bamford missed a gilt-edged chance to put the Whites' 2-0 up on the stroke of half time. Once again, Raphinha sent him through on goal and, with just Krul to beat, Bamford opted for the near post and placed the ball the wrong side of it.

Bamford had no further opportunities to mark his return to the starting line-up with a goal as Marsch, wary of the forward's delicate recovery period, brought him off for Jack Harrison at half time.

A solid first outing for the 28-year-old whose two missed chances late in the half told the whole story - Bamford hasn't lost his touch, his positioning, or his hunger for goals, but needs minutes in his legs to re-sharpen that striker's instinct.