A Patrick Bamford wish and who can step in 'perfectly' for the Leeds United no 9 - David Prutton

Today’s clash against Southampton at Elland Road is a really good chance for Leeds United to land a third win in a row.
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The last two wins against Norwich City and Wolves have given Leeds some much-needed breathing space and possibly allowed them to almost enjoy the international break with regards to training.

Obviously you get players jetting off all over but Whites head coach Jesse Marsch would have had a bit more time on the training ground with his players that he would have previously seen with games coming thick and fast.

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With Southampton, they might be on a bit of a sticky run but they are a team that came out of the Premier League, got themselves back in and hung on for a couple of times and they now look relatively well established.

UPWARDLY MOBILE: Patrick Bamford is facing another spell out injured but Leeds United still have plenty of exciting attacking players such as Raphinha, left, and possible heir to the striker throne Joe Gelhardt, right. Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images.UPWARDLY MOBILE: Patrick Bamford is facing another spell out injured but Leeds United still have plenty of exciting attacking players such as Raphinha, left, and possible heir to the striker throne Joe Gelhardt, right. Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images.
UPWARDLY MOBILE: Patrick Bamford is facing another spell out injured but Leeds United still have plenty of exciting attacking players such as Raphinha, left, and possible heir to the striker throne Joe Gelhardt, right. Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images.

From that perspective, I think they are a good blueprint to follow.

But they can also be quite streaky which has been proven in the last four games which have ended in four defeats.

It’s a game that has come at a very good time for Leeds given the confidence that they will feel and the way that they won those games against Norwich and Wolves – glorious, dramatic examples of what Premier League football is all about.

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With the Leeds fans, I am sure the head says I will take something a bit more straightforward but the heart says give me something like that again because it’s absolutely glorious to be involved in something like that.

It’s all set up quite nicely to be a retro 3pm on a Saturday afternoon Premier League fixture.

Leeds now have Kalvin Phillips and Liam Cooper back which is obviously huge but the Whites are facing another spell without Patrick Bamford who has now torn his plantar fascia which means United are going to need someone else to play up front again.

And a game at home against Southampton is a perfect one for Joe Gelhardt to get about and do what Joe has done so well when he has come into the side.

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There is a level of work rate that he brings although with any young player you also have to look at the quality and the consistency of output which comes with minutes on the pitch.

But with Patrick being out there is a position there now for someone to stake their claim to be that starting centre forward between now and the end of the season and I don’t see why Joe can’t be part of that pack.

You absolutely have to feel for Patrick. I saw him talking about the injury that he has and I have seen players and played with players who have had that and it’s really very painful.

And if you are in a team where there is no room for passengers where absolutely every person has to be working their socks off for 90 plus minutes then I feel for Patrick because he will want to do that but the pain is insurmountable.

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It’s been such a stop-start, discombobulated season for him that I sincerely hope is one of those where he comes out of it a stronger player and person.

He is a very intelligent fellow, very bright and very articulate but he will need to approach this portion of his career with more head than heart.

He will have to take the emotion and frustration away from not being involved and work his way through it and I have absolutely no doubt that he will do that and come back stronger as a better player.

In the meantime, the debate rages about who replaces Patrick and from the more positive side of things, Leeds have still got the likes of Joe mixed in with players such as Raphinha, Rodrigo, Dan James and Jack Harrison.

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You’ve got lots of very attacking players there that can get about the pitch and are very mobile and the Leeds that we saw asserting themselves in the Premier League at the back end of last season and the Championship swarmed all over teams and were a handful for teams to try and deal with.

Any permutation of that front four/front five has got the ability to really trouble the opposition.

Patrick for Joe is by no means like for like but what Joe brings that possibly Patrick doesn’t, should have Leeds United fans very, very excited indeed.

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