Farke's Bamford-Joseph theory with Leeds United and the early substitution at Coventry — Leeds Live 7/4/24
Patrick Bamford drew another blank for Leeds United in their Coventry City loss and Daniel Farke was asked after the game if he felt his striker had done enough for him.
Two right-footed attempts could have made this a very
different week for Patrick Bamford at Leeds United. On Easter Monday against
Hull City and on Saturday at Coventry City, the striker was presented with two
chances in the six-yard box that were spurned by awkward, left-footed efforts.
The Elland Road slide may never be forgotten as Bamford
conspired to put the ball over the unguarded net from four yards out. Yesterday
was a far trickier opportunity at Coventry’s near post, but manager Daniel
Farke feels it probably goes in if his number nine leads with the right boot.
The 30-year-old would eventually be substituted more than
half an hour before full-time after an ineffective and blunt display, according
to Farke. It did not, in the German’s eyes, feel like a day Bamford was ever
going to make the telling impact on the match.
“He invested a lot in terms of running and also against the
ball, but with the ball, he wasn't that effective,” he said. “He had a
situation in the first half when [if] he takes his right foot, he scores the
goal and then it's a typical Patrick Bamford with an important goal.
“It just felt like today was not one of his days and we have
a busy schedule. For that [reason] I wanted to use also the enthusiasm and the
momentum of Mateo Joseph in the second half.
“It sadly didn't pay off in this way, but I'm also
struggling to be over-critical with Patrick because, in terms of workload and
shift and also what he invested, it was also a proper game. It just didn't feel
he would be there with a decisive moment today and that was the reason for the
substitution.”
Joseph has been on a hot streak of late, but struggled to
have the same impact in the West Midlands on Saturday. There was one
particularly well-weighted pass into Joel Piroe for the chance of the game, but
aside from that, the 20-year-old was smothered by Coventry’s backline.