Leeds United have had a slight wobble in recent weeks that has seen them drop down the table as a result.

Whilst it’s important not to overreact, and to remember that the Whites are fifth and two points off top, concerns over recent performances are valid.

Some glaring issues that prevented Marcelo Bielsa’s side winning promotion last season have been on show yet again and it does seem as though they haven’t really learnt from their collapse earlier this year.

And, the biggest issue is they simply aren’t finishing the chances they create with Patrick Bamford’s worrying form a reason for that.

The ex-Middlesbrough man has failed to score in his last six games and when you consider the chances that Leeds create due to their attacking display, it’s just not good enough.

So, it was a surprise to see Football Insider reveal that Bielsa is going to stick with Bamford ahead of Eddie Nketiah against Birmingham City at Elland Road this weekend.

The on-loan Arsenal man has enjoyed a decent start to his career in Yorkshire but it still hasn’t been enough to get a start in the Championship.

It’s fair to say the decision to continuously ignore Nketiah from the off is starting to frustrate those on the terraces and if they were responsible for the team selection on Saturday then the vast majority would opt for the England U21 international.

Of course, Bamford knows this and it’s now down to him to justify the faith Bielsa has in him.

It should be noted that the 26-year-old is not a striker that only contributes goals and he can be very effective in the way he brings others into play with his quality on the ball and intelligent movement.

However, Leeds need him to step up as that poacher. The Whites boast a host of quality attacking players so chances will come and Bamford needs to develop a ruthless streak in front of goal to get the team back on track.

Bielsa’s patience with the striker won’t last forever and if the team don’t address this mini-slump then Bamford could find that his place in the XI is under major threat.

Ultimately though, it’s all down to the player now. He has a manager that clearly rates him and he needs to repay that trust by getting back amongst the goals this weekend.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.

[freshpress-poll ]