Leeds United's top goalscorer Patrick Bamford believes that the busy fixture schedule over the upcoming Christmas period is important because it offers the chance to quickly correct any disappointments that the Whites may encounter.
Leeds 'trip to Craven Cottage to face Fulham on the banks of the River Thames next Saturday will be the first of four fixtures the Whites must navigate their way through in the space of just 12 days - a sequence of games that concludes with a crunch New Year's Day showdown against automatic promotion rivals West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns.
It is a period that can play a vital role in shaping a team's season, with the short turn-around time between games not offering players an awful lot of time on the training ground.
Despite the hectic schedule now being right around the corner, Bamford, who scored twice in Leeds' frustrating 3-3 draw with Cardiff City at Elland Road on Saturday afternoon, believes that the festive period can be a good thing, though he is completely aware of the physical demands.
"In a good way, you have a game quickly if something goes wrong, so you can bounce back. But it is a demanding period," Bamford said. "It's Christmas and we don't really get to feel like it's Christmas as it is a working holiday.
"But we have got a job to do - that is what I am trying to say - and for us it is going to be all about recovery. You are not going to get much training time within this period so it is all about how well you can play and how you can recover quickly and do it again."
Leeds, of course, will kick-off their festive schedule against Fulham on Saturday, a fixture that will see the Cottagers looking to halt a three-game losing run and look to try and get their promotion charge back on track.
Even though Scott Parker's side are currently going through a difficult period, Bamford is anticipating a stern test, describing the Cottagers' squad as one of the 'strongest' in the division.
Bamford added: "They are fantastic with the ball and they are a very good team. They have got some very good players and I think if you probably looked at their squad in the Championship, they have got one of the strongest.
"They have got great firepower and are an attractive team to watch. It is a bigger test for us."
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