Phil Hay believes that the criticism aimed at Patrick Bamford is having a detrimental impact on his Leeds United performances.

The striker has been the subject of real focus from supporters and pundits alike for the amount of chances missed in the Championship this term.

Bamford has scored 12 goals in 36 appearances so far this term, but just two in his last 11 showings for the Whites.

The 26-year-old will be hoping to get himself back on track in the coming weeks, but according to Hay, it seems that his confidence has taken a pretty hefty knock.

Speaking on The Phil Hay podcast, he said: “There was a lot of discussion about Patrick Bamford’s performance against Middlesbrough which I didn’t think was great but to a large extent what’s been going on with him and all of the chatter around him does seem to have got into his head.

“I think it’s affecting his performances and his anticipation and his confidence In finishing.

“But I think Bielsa transmitted a confident message right at the stage where he needed it.

“Having talked about the psychology and man management which isn’t always Bielsa’s strength I think backing Bamford was the right thing to do at the right time.”

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The verdict

It’s clear to see that Patrick Bamford is struggling for confidence.

His performances for Leeds United have come in for a huge amount of scrutiny as former players and pundits demand perfection from every aspect of his game.

Every player has strengths and weaknesses, and while Bamford may not be the most prolific striker in the league, he certainly has a good goalscoring record.

With the greatest of respect, if Bamford was to convert two or three out of five or six chances per game, the chances are he’d be playing at a much higher level than the Championship.

Of course there’s value to what people are saying, but as far as Marcelo Bielsa is concerned he’s doing a good job for the team and that’s why he is still starting every game.