Crystal Palace loanee Patrick Bamford has been the topic of much debate recently, the majority of which has surrounded his loan deal potentially being cut short in January with him recalled to Chelsea and then loaned out elsewhere, where he might play more first-team football.
Personally, as good as he potentially is; could he really be expected to walk into a Premier League side’s starting XI and play week in week out? Well, more to the point, a side like Palace? That’s said without meaning it to sound like ‘we’re all that!’
I’m not so sure, and wouldn’t suspect his parent club would expect this either, however they’ll obviously want him to play more than he is at present of course, as would Palace if roles were reversed so Alan Pardew has said, ahead of the Man United game, he can understand why Chelsea loanee Bamford would be ‘frustrated’ at his lack of football after his success with Middlesbrough last season.
At the same time though the Palace boss has praised his attitude, with him of the opinion that even without playing much, so far, this loan has improved him with it made clear to him, when he arrived, the Premier League is a step up from the Championship and, as he is, he would have to work hard.
‘I spoke to him when he first came to the club and said, ‘You have to understand that although Middlesbrough is a high level, coming into the Premier League in this team is a higher level so you’re going to have to work at it’ – and he is working hard.
‘I have to say I have been very very pleased with his attitude, his application and he has definitely physically got a little bit stronger through this process.’
17-goals in 38-matches for Middlesbrough, during his loan spell last season, saw him voted as the Championship Player of the Year, but it’s been tough going for the 22-year-old at Selhurst Park.
Whatever the future brings for him, with Pardew still hopeful he’ll ‘hit the ground’ at some point with Palace if he can break into the first-team, which isn’t going to be easy, he’s been tipped for success.
‘Hopefully when he hits the ground at some point, whether it be for us or Chelsea or somebody else, he’s going to feel the benefit of it. He is a possible England player at some stage but he has got some learning to do and like all young players, they sometimes have to add something to their game to get over that final hurdle.
‘We’re a good side, we’ve proved that. Our results in the last two or three have been not as we would want them, but the performance level has been there, except for the Man City game, so it’s a tough team to get in to.’
Quotes – Sky Sports.
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