Leon Bailey

[Leeroy]

I've always been a fan and it's a shame so many gave him so much stick because he's never been that bad. His first home game for us he absolutely destroyed Everton and showed what he is capable of.

 

Admittedly his first two years at the cub were underwhelming but that's more to do with injuries and lack of confidence than lack of ability, it's always been there. 

 

Signing Diaby in the summer, whilst Diaby himself is yet to be a success for us, it's been a massive signing in terms of getting the best out of Bailey. He knows he has a quality player competing with him now so he is performing to his maximum ability. If Diaby can get himself going next season on a more consistent basis then that's going to be some competition. 

 

I'm so glad Bailey is signing a new long term contract and going to spend his peak years at the club. Dougie to get a new contract next please 

Edited February 5 by Leeroy

[ChesterDad]

24 minutes ago, lexicon said:

He's been here 2 and a half years. The first year was stop/start with injuries, managerial change and he never found any form - nobody is arguing that he played well then. Since Emery came in, which is what, 18 months? He's been good, was improving and this season excellent. It's wrong to say that the majority of the time he's been here he's been 'pretty poor' - it's just demonstrably untrue.

I really don't understand why you have such a hard time admitting that you might have been wrong about a player. There is no shame in that. Doubling down, however, doesn't reflect well at all. 

Look I’m going to leave it here if that’s ok?

You won’t accept there maybe an alternative view. So on this topic with your good self I’m out

[lexicon]

4 minutes ago, ChesterDad said:

Look I’m going to leave it here if that’s ok?

You won’t accept there maybe an alternative view. So on this topic with your good self I’m out

Nah, I think that's you tbh. I've provided an argument to support my claims, you haven't. 

[MrBlack]

5 minutes ago, lexicon said:

Nah, I think that's you tbh. I've provided an argument to support my claims, you haven't. 

It's probably more accurate to say he's been good for about half his duration here. The first year a write off to injury and mismanagement.  The next 4 months acclimatising to Emery ball and, then the last 14 months being pretty great. 

He definitely hasn't been rubbish for "most" of his time here,  but I'd argue he hasn't been  great for most of it either. If he maintains this form to the end of the season then you can say that. 

[Captain_Townsend]

Leon Bailey is the reason we shouldn't be so quick to write off a player.

[Tomaszk]

7 minutes ago, Captain_Townsend said:

Leon Bailey is the reason we shouldn't be so quick to write off a player.

Perhaps a lesson to not do it in general, yes, but it was hardly quick.

He was here for two years before anything but glimpses of ability were shown.

Great it's coming now. Long may it continue.

[ChesterDad]

18 minutes ago, MrBlack said:

It's probably more accurate to say he's been good for about half his duration here. The first year a write off to injury and mismanagement.  The next 4 months acclimatising to Emery ball and, then the last 14 months being pretty great. 

He definitely hasn't been rubbish for "most" of his time here,  but I'd argue he hasn't been  great for most of it either. If he maintains this form to the end of the season then you can say that. 

I think there are a number of fans, who would align themselves to this point of view.

I was extremely disappointed with his returns - you can put this down to whichever reason supports your argument the most I guess?

Would I have cared if he had gone in the summer, absolutely no, but again like many of us, I am very happy that he stayed and with his current form.

Only time will tell, if we have a great player on our hands - given his form this season, I would say most likely yes we do. 

[CVByrne]

tbf to Leon he was signed to play as a winger in out 4 2 3 1 counter attacking team under Dean.

Then Gerrard took over and took a winger and wanted him to play as a narrow 10 in a failed structure and failing team. 

This was also while he had recurring injuries plaguing him too. 

When Emery came in  he played Bailey often up top with Watkins mainly because we really had no other option.

This season with a summer of recruitment, with the right management of his load Bailey has been playing in his best position, being asked to do what he's best at and he's trusting his body too. 

So while other players improved their form under Emery quicker, Bailey needed to play in the right position to really show his talent.

Credit to himself and to Emery and his team. 

[ChesterDad]

31 minutes ago, Tomaszk said:

Perhaps a lesson to not do it in general, yes, but it was hardly quick.

He was here for two years before anything but glimpses of ability were shown.

Great it's coming now. Long may it continue.

Agreed 

[AvonVillain]

2 hours ago, Captain_Townsend said:

Leon Bailey is the reason we shouldn't be so quick to write off a player.

...once again.

[MWARLEY2]

Can he play centreback ? 

[sheepyvillian]

So glad to hear of new contract talks. Without doubt our most dynamic players, haven't seen a Villa winger that naturally skilful since the days of Mark Walters, and believe you me, he was skilful. Bailey is certainly quicker though and I think he's a shoe - in for our player of the season. 

[ChesterDad]

7 hours ago, sheepyvillian said:

So glad to hear of new contract talks. Without doubt our most dynamic players, haven't seen a Villa winger that naturally skilful since the days of Mark Walters, and believe you me, he was skilful. Bailey is certainly quicker though and I think he's a shoe - in for our player of the season. 

I’m afraid that’s not the case imo - Bertie is far more skilful than Bailey.

But totally acknowledge the game is all about opinions

[GlobalVillan]

Needs to start every game at the moment.

Diaby needs to earn his place and Bailey has certainly earned his.

Love the way he cuts inside and finishes with his left. Despite defenders surely knowing what he is about to do, he does it anyway, and often results in a cracker of a goal.

Am important player for us nowadays.

[TRO]

20 hours ago, MWARLEY2 said:

He came to Villa having played both left and right for Leverkeusen . And in his last season there had got i think 16 goals and 11 assists across all comps. He was a bit hot and cold in his time there but when on it was explosive. The games were so open though and he always had space to get in behind. 

Came to Villa and found no space . Got injured . Came back and still found no space. Thats when we started to get frustrated with him going down blind alleys.  Still came up with moments of magic but mostly it was really bad for him. Alot of us even questioned if he was quick and if he was done in the league  . Emery came in and he scored within 3 mins of Emerys first game. Still had issues with consistency but Emery kept on playing him. I think we thought that he must be doing exceptionally in training to still get starts. 

Then the summer comes, Diaby gets signed and we are thinking at best he is back up for Diaby if he is injured.

And then we start to see a different Bailey .  The manager likes to give him 30 mins as a sub or 60 as a starter. And we see skill pace goals assists and big creativity. Him being trusted to play right mid and the defensive responsibilites that it entails. Gradually he has gone from magic moments to being more and more consistent. A goal one game, assist the next. Causing chaos when he comes on whether with his left or right. 

The turn against Gvardiol and then the chop , followed by his great assist for McGinn against Arsenal and hitting the crossbar against Warsaw were him at his very best. Went a bit quieter in the next gamees but back to his best v Newcastle and then Sheffield. 

We have a real player on our hands. This isnt a purple patch. Its him relearning his position taking into account the better defenders and lack of space in the Prem. His body position is so different now. His cockiness on the ball. How he never looked at the ball the other night while his feet were controlling the ball. And then cutting in and instantly curling in a beauty 

A really talented player and one that is showing us more and more with every game. He isnt a speed merchant. He is a skillful player with real vision that just happens to have after burners. 

Theres my ultra biased view on him. 

 

its learning to work in a league, where space is precious, and fought for,  not gifted....It can be seen from game to game, where we dip a bit, when we are denied space...as do most teams....thats why turnovers are so important in such games.

He is not the only player in our team, who struggles, without space....but its a case of making it, thats where the skill from the team, comes in.

Wingers are traditionally targetted, due to their guile, and only a handful manage to be fairly consistent.....its something the group have to work on, not just him, and inevitably that will include, new faces.

He is a game changer, when he is on form, there's no doubt......maintaining that form is key.

Edited February 6 by TRO

[Zatman]

17 hours ago, Tomaszk said:

Perhaps a lesson to not do it in general, yes, but it was hardly quick.

He was here for two years before anything but glimpses of ability were shown.

Great it's coming now. Long may it continue.

In fairness to Bailey and all the players, Gerrard and Beale were  "coaching" them for a year

He had a goal and 3 assists in 4 sub appearances under Smith

[Zatman]

Has a record of a goal or assist every 78 minutes in the league this season

[Jas10]

 

Edited February 6 by Jas10

[Jas10]

Wonderful news… always felt that we just needed to see Leon playing with a smile on his face (resolving whatever issues existed away from the pitch) to see the best of him… he’s been excellent and now we’ll see him spend his peak years at the club and help kick us on…

[Jas10]

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/unai-emery-highlights-leon-bailey-28579500

 

Quote

The adaptation for some players is longer, then we need to understand the adaptation, how each player can do it differently," Emery said. "Leon Bailey, he came from Germany and the first year he didn’t play being consistent and he had some injuries. When I arrived here I tried to set him as a second striker and for him to take the best characteristics.

Quote

"He was still in the adaptation when I arrived here and the adaptation is everything. More or less, at the end, we can watch him on the pitch and this year he didn’t start really being strong even and last year he was not consistent always. For example, the last two matches we played last season, key matches, he wasn’t in the starting XI.

"I spoke with him this year when we started pre-season about how we could improve different issues and things he wasn’t showing us in a consistent way. His reaction was fantastic after the match we played against Newcastle and Liverpool.

"Against Liverpool he was on the bench and he came on after 20 minutes and I changed him in the 65th minute more or less. He went to the break with his national team and when he came back, I was thinking every day of him about this change. It was not me trying to punish him or make him feel bad, it was tactically, but he can think it was a little bit hard for him for me to change him.

Quote

"I explained it to him. ‘No Leon, I want more. We need more of you. You have to be consistent and focus more than you are doing because it is not enough’. His commitment has improved and his focus working every day harder has improved. 

 

"His way here, his skills, scoring goals, assists, improves. We decided more or less one month ago to extend his contract. We had to be very demanding with the players and if they want to increase their level and their demands like the team is doing, then it has to change.