Leeds United

Leeds United: Phil Hay drops encouraging Patrick Bamford injury claim

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Image for Leeds United: Phil Hay drops encouraging Patrick Bamford injury claim

Phil Hay believes that Leeds United’s Patrick Bamford is now finally back to full fitness.

The last 12 months have likely been some of the most frustrating of Bamford’s career having started just nine league games since the beginning of last campaign, but after starting Leeds’s last game they played, he could be nearing full fitness.

Especially after he turned out for the club’s youth side last week when they breezed past a youthful Southampton side in a game in which Bamford netted a hat-trick, something that won’t have done his confidence or fitness any harm.

Hay was asked on The Phil Hay Show if Bamford is now close to returning to full fitness.

”He must be, I would think so, again, when we speak to Marsch on the weekend one of the things I think we’ll want to know is how well and how regularly Bamford is training.

“Because back at the point where he did get injured again, there was obviously the conversation with Marsch about the fact he had been taking it easy with Bamford, he had been limiting his training load through the week. I think it would be reassuring for everyone to know that he’s just at full tilt now, but that appearance and those three goals are not going to do him any harm.”

TIF Thoughts on Bamford…

Leeds certainly placed a lot of trust in Bamford and his ability to stay fit over the summer with the club opting against bringing in a new centre-0forward, despite the England international managing to start just seven league games last season.

Will Bamford score 10 goals this season?

Yes!

Yes!

No!

No!

Thus far he’s been afforded just 170 minutes of first-team football and is still yet to find the back of the net, but Jesse Marsch will be hoping that a hat-trick for the Under 23s will help instil some confidence back into Bamford.

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Putting faith in Bamford and his body to remain fit is a huge gamble from Leeds given his injury record over the last year and coupled with the fact he’s set to turn 30 later this month, so his body will not naturally be able to heal and recover as quickly as it once used to be, but the fact he is a reliable scorer in the team, he got 17 goals two seasons ago, Marsch will be hoping he can rediscover even half of that form.

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