BBC pundit Ross McCormack expressed his surprise at Patrick Bamford taking the penalty against Stoke, which he subsequently missed.
McCormack noted that Bamford wasn’t the designated penalty taker according to manager Daniel Farke’s plans.
While Bamford might have been eager to take the penalty in an attempt to regain his goal-scoring form, McCormack emphasised that there is no grey area when it comes to a designated penalty taker.
The pundit suggested that the manager may not have been pleased with Bamford’s decision to take the penalty, especially as it wasn’t within the established protocol.
McCormack said (via MOT Leeds News):
“Firstly I was surprised, as a lot of people were, that he was taking it given his record of taking penalties at the club.
“Secondly, I can understand why he wanted to take it. He’s obviously desperate, he wants back in amongst the goals, he sees players in front of him doing well, getting plaudits, scoring goals, and he was probably looking at it thinking, ‘This is a goal for me and it could kickstart my season’.
“So I get it, but what I don’t get is the manager’s half-alluded to [the fact] that he wasn’t the penalty taker, so for me I wouldn’t be too happy with that in the changing room after the game.
“Penalty taker takes the penalties and that’s it, there’s no grey area.”
Bamford is currently experiencing a goal drought, having failed to score in the six matches he’s played this season. This could explain his eagerness to take the penalty and potentially break that dry spell.