If Leeds United are going to get promoted this season they’re certainly doing it the hard way.
Most teams that come up from the Championship have a reliable goalscorer leading their line. Last term we saw Teemu Pukki, Billy Sharp and Tammy Abraham fire in more than 20 goals each for Norwich, Sheffield United and Aston Villa respectively.
However, Leeds’ main striker isn’t scoring at an immense rate this season.
Indeed, Patrick Bamford has found the net just four times in 13 starts for the Yorkshire outfit this term, yet Leeds are still second in the league.
It goes against what you would expect from a team duking it out for an automatic promotion spot, but Leeds are right up there despite not having a consistent goalscoring striker.
Is this sustainable? Our writers have attempted to answer whether or not Leeds can go up with Bamford leading their line for the rest of the season.
Lewis Blain
“Leeds will surely be amongst the sides competing for promotion come the end of the season, but whether they pose enough threat to actually earn a place in the promised land of the Premier League remains to be seen.
“United’s conversion rate is at an atrocious 37% having scored just 17 of their 46 shots at goal while their likely challengers, West Brom, have enjoyed much more fruitful returns, converting 88.9% of their 27 attempts at goal, per Transfermarkt.
“Patrick Bamford has started all 13 of their league matches this campaign, so he could be at fault to some extent, certainly as he is often operated as the lone striker. Eddie Nketiah proved on Tuesday night that he could be the man to buck this trend, but we will have to wait to see if Marcelo Bielsa will go against his stubborn ways.
“Ultimately, if Leeds continue to miss opportunities, they will not earn promotion this season – but that’s not to say they won’t be in the hunt because they almost certainly will.
“Last season this issue was the exact reason for them falling short as they converted fewer chances than eventual champions Norwich despite recording over 100 more shots. Bielsa must learn his lessons and use everything at his disposal – ala Nketiah.”
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Kealan Hughes “So far Leeds have been similarly impressive to how they performed last season, but the one continued concern Marcelo Bielsa should have is the lack of goals, or rather the lack of clinical finishing from his side.“It is easy to blame Patrick Bamford as the starting striker in the team, but he is important to the system the Argentine operates with and has chipped in with valuable goals on occasion.“Though it is an issue that he hasn’t performed well of late, the Whites still have Eddie Nketiah to rely on as a source for goals, and he has often stepped up with Bamford has misfired – Tuesday proved that. “If Nketiah can continue his form – and start more often – Leeds should be in safe hands, and mount an effective promotion push.” Matthew Baldwin “No. “Patrick Bamford has essentially been acting as an ‘opening batsmen’ so far this season. Tiring the opposition defenders then allowing the much quicker and fitter Eddie Nketiah to pick up the pieces afterwards. “Whilst that might be good enough to bail them out against sides like Barnsley and other teams down the bottom of the table, that’s going to be good enough to sustain them throughout the season when they come up against teams that are around them near the top, just see the Swansea City game. “Whether it’s by pairing them together, or simply dropping Bamford altogether, there’s a lot more than can come out of the Leeds United attack, but they cannot rely on Bamford doing the work on his own if they are to be serious challengers come the end of the season.” Charles Jones
“While I think it’s possible for Leeds to go up with Bamford leading the line, I don’t think it’s very likely.
“Goalscorers are simply too important for any team wanting to compete at the top end of the Championship, and it’s almost unheard of for a team to go up without a striker who can score at least 20 goals in a season. At the moment Bamford isn’t on track to reach that target.
“However, just because he isn’t scoring right now, it doesn’t mean he never will. The 26-year-old is such a form player and one goal could ignite his campaign, just look at his last season before joining Leeds and how good he was when he hit form. He scored just 11 league goals all season for Boro, but eight of those came in a five-game spell, so when he’s in form he’s one of the best in the league.
“Whether or not Leeds can get the best out of him remains to be seen, but their promotion hopes may hinge on that.”