Patrick Bamford's clinical finishing has been a vital asset for Sheffield United this season. The 35-year-old striker is the club's top scorer with five Championship goals from a remarkably low shot volume.
Bamford has found the net five times from just 14 attempts across his 11 appearances. His expected goals tally stands at 4.56, meaning he has outperformed that metric by 0.44. Only half of his shots have been on target, but when they are, he is exceptionally efficient. Seventy-one percent of his on-target efforts have resulted in a goal.
"Essentially, this means that the 35-year-old has still got it," Bamford said.
The former England international averages 1.6 shots per 90 minutes, with 0.8 of those hitting the target. His efficiency contrasts with the volume of other Championship forwards, such as Middlesbrough's Will Lankshear, who has scored 11 goals from 43 shots with a 25.6% conversion rate.
Bamford's latest contribution was a key 79th-minute equaliser in the 1-1 draw with Derby County last Friday, assisted by Romelle Donovan. That result continued a mixed run of form for United, whose last five games have yielded one win, one draw and three defeats. They followed the Derby stalemate with a 1-0 win at Bristol City, where Oliver Arblaster scored the only goal, but had lost their three previous matches.
The team now prepares to host Wrexham this Friday, looking to build momentum. Fans can see the full upcoming fixtures schedule on our site. Bamford's proven ability to convert limited chances will be central to their hopes as they seek to climb the standings.
First reported at The Star
