Patrick Bamford isn’t likely to look back on 2022 with any kind of fondness from a career perspective. The striker has been dogged by various injuries and his form, game time and standing at Elland Road has suffered as a result.
Over the last 12 months, Bamford has made just 13 Premier League appearances and the amount of time he has spent on the sidelines means it has been over a year since he last felt the rush of finding the back of the net. That stoppage time goal against Brentford was scored on December 5 2021, but after months of fitness struggles and frustration, it feels like more than just a year ago.
In that time, Bamford has struggled with foot and hip issues, while he has also missed games through illness and earlier this month he underwent groin surgery. Jesse Marsch revealed his hope that the 29-year-old would be able to restart training this week, when speaking in his pre-match press conference last Thursday, but it remains to be seen whether Bamford will be ready to play a role against either Manchester City or Newcastle United as the calendar year draws to a close.
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As such, Bamford will welcome January in with open arms as he bids to turn over a new leaf, leave his woes behind him and get his career firmly back on track. Returning to top form won’t be straightforward, but, that will be the England international’s target and he has every right to look forward to the next 12 months with optimism.
Leeds supporters know more than most about what Bamford is capable of when he’s fit and firing on all cylinders. The forward bagged 17 Premier League goals during the club’s first campaign back in the top flight and that was enough to earn a call-up from Gareth Southgate back in May 2021.
He terrorised defenders and developed a knack of finishing with unerring confidence and ability. It was the type of form that saw him become a hero on the terraces of Elland Road, particularly following the 16 Championship goals he scored on the way to promotion under Marcelo Bielsa. However, the ankle injury he picked up in September last year, brought his progress to a halt and he has struggled to build up any sort of momentum since.
He started the current season in a good place and with the captain’s armband, but injury struck in just the second game of the season at Southampton. Since then he has been in and out of the side, starting just two games with Rodrigo now firmly holding the mantle of Leeds’ first-choice striking option.
Bamford’s confidence on the field of play has certainly taken a hit, but there has been performances to suggest a goal could be all he needs to start making strides towards his very best once more. The defeat to Arsenal immediately springs to mind, with Bamford picking up plaudits for his performance, despite missing a penalty and squandering a couple more fine opportunities to find the net.
Leeds are looking to bring in a new striker in the January transfer window and irrespective of Bamford’s fitness and form, Marsch needs more attacking options at his disposal. If the forward can shake off his fitness issues once and for all in the New Year, though, there’s no reason why he can’t be like a new signing for Leeds himself.
It won’t be easy, in fact, working his way back to the form he showed between 2018 and 2021 will be one the biggest challenges he has faced in his time at Elland Road. But, with a bit of consistency and good fortune, there’s no reason why Bamford can’t have a big say on the rest of Leeds’ campaign.
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