Bright addition has Leeds United on right track and a message for Patrick Bamford - David Prutton

Matters at Leeds United under Jesse Marsch are now miles rosier than they were after the Aston Villa defeat.
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We have become accustomed to seeing decent sights at Elland Road over the last couple of years.

But when that Joe Gelhardt winner went in against Norwich there was a great shot of the Leeds bench just going absolutely ballistic which was amazing to see.

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It felt like a sense of lift-off with regards to Jesse coming in.

BRIGHT SPARK: New Leeds United boss Jesse Marsch, left, and record signing Rodrigo embrace after last weekend's epic 3-2 success at Wolves. Photo by GEOFF CADDICK/AFP via Getty Images.BRIGHT SPARK: New Leeds United boss Jesse Marsch, left, and record signing Rodrigo embrace after last weekend's epic 3-2 success at Wolves. Photo by GEOFF CADDICK/AFP via Getty Images.
BRIGHT SPARK: New Leeds United boss Jesse Marsch, left, and record signing Rodrigo embrace after last weekend's epic 3-2 success at Wolves. Photo by GEOFF CADDICK/AFP via Getty Images.

We hear about philosophies, styles and cultures but the fundamental thing between now and the end of the season is winning games and Leeds have managed to do that in the last couple of matches, albeit in not the most straightforward way!

But it has been entertaining and kept everybody on the edge of their seat.

Wolves went down to 10 men in last weekend’s clash at Molineux when Raul Jimenez was sent off and, by and large, people classed it as a soft red card.

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But there were other elements to the game as well with other challenges and you have to capitalise on the fortune that is afforded to you, and Leeds did exactly that.

The win put the Whites seven points clear of the drop zone and, whilst teams below Leeds have games in hand, there is absolutely more than enough there to stay up.

If that’s slightly underwhelming for an approach when it comes to a club the size of Leeds then you can’t really apologise for that because that’s exactly where they find themselves.

There has to be a case of not running before you can walk and I think there has been a realisation of that.

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Safety is absolutely still the first priority but it’s a priority that Leeds should be able to accomplish and I’m confident enough that they will be a Premier League team at the start of next season, especially given the resilience that they have shown.

And Jesse has come across really well.

He’s a bright fella, an intelligent and articulate man and he will know exactly what people make culturally to an American coach in the Premier League.

He’s not stupid and he’s opened his eyes to coaching around the world so we are looking at a man who knows what his job is, what the expectations are and also what the potential pitfalls are.

From Leeds’ point of view, the thing that will garner him patience and good favour is results and, after that, seeing what he does with the side when it comes to the way they play.

There are shades of Marcelo Bielsa.

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But Jesse is also going to come in and do his own thing which is absolutely right and, from what I have seen, heard and read, he has dealt with everything in a very classy way so far.

Ultimately, he knows he is judged by what happens on the pitch but that is no different to him being at the Red Bulls or Leipzig or Salzburg. Fundamentally, it is all about winning football matches.

Leeds managed to do just that at Wolves despite all the injuries, including to Patrick Bamford who was forced off midway through the first half.

You had to feel for him. It’s been one of those seasons for Patrick which footballers sometimes, unfortunately, have to get their head around.

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Hopefully, he looks at this situation and is able to see the broader picture - times are tough, but this is part of his footballing career.

Good seasons, bad seasons, indifferent spells and prolific spells all make up the tapestry of what your career ends up being and Patrick doesn’t strike me as a kid that is afraid of hard work.

If he’s got to draw on reserves of strength and character then the young man that I have come across is resilient and a player that you would count on to come back fitter and stronger.

It’s just about getting over that hurdle of a run of games and that’s a real key thing when you have been injured.

I have broken a metatarsal and knackered my ankle ligaments

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One took three months and the other was a protracted six months after needing surgery halfway through it.

Right in the middle of it, you look around and think this is dragging but you quantify it in the sense of the broader picture of your professional life, your personal life and everything else that goes on in and around you.

But this is his livelihood, his vocation and his passion and you want to be out there and playing a part.

There are obviously infinitely worse feelings than not being able to play a football match.

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But your professional career and your reputation is absolutely based on you getting games under your belt.

When Patrick is training away in the gym and working with the physios, it’s that carrot of getting back to what he does best which is scoring goals as Leeds United’s No 9 that, hopefully, gets him through it.

That and the good will of the fans that he will also be feeling will also carry him through.

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