Leon Bailey

[Nicho]

3 hours ago, lexicon said:

Are you really asking if I support the players on our team?  Of course I do ffs. Bailey's got a higher ceiling than the others you mentioned and, as I've been saying all along, it was stupid to write him off. 

Bailey clearly struggled after his injury and was in a bad place mentally for a while but it was clear as day that there was a player in there. I don't know if you've ever worked in education, coaching or training, (frankly I hope not) but the way to get people to improve is not by just criticising them. 

Yes that’s exactly what I’m saying

 

[OutByEaster?]

2 hours ago, KentVillan said:

It does make you wonder if players like Zaniolo and Duran will start to find this kind of form soon.

The way he's going, I have a feeling that given six months to do it, Unai could probably make a decent forward out of one of us two, let alone Zaniolo and Duran.

I think one of the keys with Bailey that hasn't perhaps been talked about a lot is that he's fit - I think this might be the longest period with us where he's seemed fully fit and confident in his body - long may that continue.

 

[KentVillan]

5 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said:

The way he's going, I have a feeling that given six months to do it, Unai could probably make a decent forward out of one of us two, let alone Zaniolo and Duran.

I think one of the keys with Bailey that hasn't perhaps been talked about a lot is that he's fit - I think this might be the longest period with us where he's seemed fully fit and confident in his body - long may that continue.

 

Yep, although I think fitness, form and confidence are a virtuous circle. Unless you get very unlucky with a nasty tackle, being in a good headspace tends to feed into fitness, recovery, enthusiasm, etc.

It’s clear that it’s all starting to click for him, in the same way it did for McGinn. Would love to see same thing happen with a few more of our players - Tielemans seems to be getting there, I’m sure Duran can too.

[Delphinho123]

5 hours ago, KAZZAM said:

@Delphinho123 @Tomaszk @Steero113

Ah remember when you 3 tried mock me for saying Neto wasn't better than Leon. 

Good times eh. 

Eh, it’s the small wins in life. You’re the man, Kazzam!

[Brumstopdogs]

 

[DJBOB]

16 minutes ago, Brumstopdogs said:

 

Poor Ollie, begging for the pass a few times there.

But I wonder if Unai told him, "Leon - don't think about it too much. Just keep going at them and you'll get a goal."

[Kingman]

[sne]

Fantastic game, lovely to see how confident he is now.

[ChesterDad]

6 hours ago, Nicho said:

I didn’t say you wernt allowed to criticise people for their opinion it’s a forum after all. Your point was this is why we support and don’t criticise.

 The point is that blind support isn’t always correct if a player isn’t up to it then they deserve criticism. Bailey wasn’t up to it and I’m sure Unai criticised him and did drop him. Are you supporting Dendocker, Traore, Chamber et al?

Bailey has turned the corner and come back stronger and I’m all for it, happy to give players like Zaniolo the benefit of time aswell but at the moment his performances don’t deserve blind support either.  

I agree with you - it’s documented that I have been critical of Bailey - I think he has been poor way longer, than he has been good for us. His recent form for me, has been a very pleasant surprise and something I did not see coming. But I maintain that my reservations were valid based upon the length of time that he was underperforming. Zaniolo and Tielemans have both received a lot of criticism on here, yet have been here for a very short time in comparison, and in my view both deserve our support, although fortunately YT is now proving to be the player, we all hoped he would be.

 

[lexicon]

3 hours ago, Nicho said:

Yes that’s exactly what I’m saying

 

Well it's not remotely clear what point you're trying to make. You disagreed with the notion that you shouldn't write off players out of hand for some reason. 

[StewieGriffin]

Direct correlation between the rolling down of the socks and his ascent to being the Jamaican Messi

[beasley14]

22 hours ago, DJ_Villain said:

or the fact that his manager now knows what he is doing at the top end of football club management and knows how to utilise him to get the best out of him?

In fairness that's part of the same thing 

[beasley14]

22 hours ago, nepal_villan said:

Fact that there is less pressure on him due to the signings of Diaby and Zaniolo I feel helped.

This could be true, or the extra competition to sharpen your mind.  As others have said, being fully fit has helped too.

[Steero113]

On 07/12/2023 at 11:37, KAZZAM said:

@Delphinho123 @Tomaszk @Steero113

Ah remember when you 3 tried mock me for saying Neto wasn't better than Leon. 

Good times eh. 

Guys playing amazing and I'm absolutely thrilled for him and for our team, still doesn't prove he's better than Neto who's been injured for a good while and still currently tops the PL assists table. 

Edited December 8, 2023 by Steero113

[MotoMkali]

23 hours ago, rodders0223 said:

You can keep your goals, you can keep your assist, your pace and your dribbles.

There was point yesterday I think the ball just randomly popped out to him and if just switched the play first time with his right foot to McGinn and I just thought by Joe he's got it. The penny has dropped.

He didn't take 19 touches and think of a million things to do and do none of them. He just knew what pass he was going to make should the ball fall to him.

And that's a **** skill.

Tbf I actually think his vision and long range passing might be his best attribute. You see it in so many of our goals last year where he takes a touch and releases Watkins or Ramsey in behind. 

[MotoMkali]

23 hours ago, DJBOB said:

Leon Bailey in a nutshell this season - 

That includes a lot of last season 

https://fbref.com/en/players/3a233281/scout/12192/Leon-Bailey-Scouting-Report

This is his stats in the prem this year. But 3 takes on per 90, 0.5xA per 90, 4 shot creating actions, 0.8 goals per 90

0 successful tackles all season (probably just a qurik of the sample size, I think he's been solid defensively so far). 

[MotoMkali]

23 hours ago, KentVillan said:

Of course, but the Bailey turnaround has taken a bit longer than some of the others, and players like McGinn had some credit in the bank from their performances in the Smith era.

It does make you wonder if players like Zaniolo and Duran will start to find this kind of form soon.

Duran has 3 goals in 300 minutes this season. Hardly terrible form. 

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

1 hour ago, Steero113 said:

Guys playing amazing and I'm absolutely thrilled for him and for our team, still doesn't prove he's better than Neto who's been injured for a good while and still currently tops the PL assists table. 

Leon has 14 total goal involvements, Neto has 9. So its a bit of a false narrative , especially when other factors have to be considered.

I'm sure there is a stat going around which shows Leon being on top of some sorts of stats/goal involvements Vs minutes table with Haaland second as well.

Also, our assists and goals come from all over the place. Neto may be Wolves main/only.outlet.

Aware he's injured and that's no slight on Neto whatsoever.

Just not sure why sometimes we feel we have to put one of our own down to big another up though.

Same is often done with the likes of Ollie.

Edited December 8, 2023 by JAMAICAN-VILLAN

[Steero113]

12 minutes ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

Leon has 14 total goal involvements, Neto has 9. So its a bit of a false narrative , especially when other factors have to be considered.

I'm sure there is a stat going around which shows Leon being on top of some sorts of stats/goal involvements Vs minutes table with Haaland second as well.

Also, our assists and goals come from all over the place. Neto may be Wolves main/only.outlet.

Aware he's injured and that's no slight on Neto whatsoever.

Just not sure why sometimes we feel we have to put one of our own down to big another up though.

Same is often done with the likes of Ollie.

Of course we don't and I'm not putting Leon down, I think he's a great player who has taken absolutely ages to properly get over his injuries that he picked up when he first got here. 

The conversation stemmed from when he wasn't doing so well and people were discussing other winger options, that's all. 

They are both great players, great options, and I'm absolutely thrilled that he's producing top form for us, he looks lethal.

[Panto_Villan]

Clearly Emery made the right decision sticking with Leon all last season, but I wonder what it was that made him do that. Was it the form he showed in Germany? Was he doing great things in training? Was he just willing to learn?

Or was he just the best option from a bad bunch, and eventually managed to play his way into form?

Either way the transformation has been incredible. He’s gone from one of our biggest disappointments in recent memory to one of the first names on the teamsheet.