Leon Bailey

[bose]

3 hours ago, Pongo Waring said:

Who?

Greshford 

[paul514]

9 minutes ago, Rightdm00 said:

Bailey has already bested Jack's best year at City as well. Leon is truly on an amazing run. He is averaging a goal contribution every 90 minutes or so. That's a world class level of production. 

Yea in terms of goals and assists it definitely is amongst the best.

It isn't the only metric through from a winger or wide midfielder depending on the role that's all.

[rodders0223]

Always knew he'd come good.

[tomav84]

38 minutes ago, rodders0223 said:

Always knew he'd come good.

i didn't. i never thought he'd cut it...just didn't see anything to suggest otherwise. more than happy to eat humble pie

[Leeroy]

Better than prime Ashley Young IMO. Young was a better crosser but Bailey's dribbling is better and he gets his head up more, plus he's a better finisher than prime Young and stronger and more powerful. Don't think prime Ashley Young was ever world class, just very good, whereas I think Bailey is genuinely world class. His challenge now is to be consistent for the next 3,4 seasons, however long he stays here, but I think he will be.

 

Comparing him to Grealish is more apt, but Grealish was a different type of player, more a number 10 than a winger. 

[Villa87]

Absolutely sublime. Humble pie my end as I just didn’t see this uplift in form. However, the negative comments from the previous two season wasn’t without merit!

[cheltenham_villa]

35 minutes ago, Leeroy said:

Better than prime Ashley Young IMO. Young was a better crosser but Bailey's dribbling is better and he gets his head up more, plus he's a better finisher than prime Young and stronger and more powerful. Don't think prime Ashley Young was ever world class, just very good, whereas I think Bailey is genuinely world class. His challenge now is to be consistent for the next 3,4 seasons, however long he stays here, but I think he will be.

 

Comparing him to Grealish is more apt, but Grealish was a different type of player, more a number 10 than a winger. 

No where near Young for me, Young did this for consecutive seasons, could play left, right and down the middle. Went on to win everything. Even now he's adapted to play a premier league full back role and can do it either side (something we don't ask any of our current full backs to do). 

Bailey (as much as I'm enjoying him) hasn't even done it consistently for this season. 

[Leeroy]

1 minute ago, cheltenham_villa said:

No where near Young for me, Young did this for consecutive seasons, could play left, right and down the middle. Went on to win everything. Even now he's adapted to play a premier league full back role and can do it either side (something we don't ask any of our current full backs to do). 

Bailey (as much as I'm enjoying him) hasn't even done it consistently for this season. 

Well he has done it consistently for this season. He's got 8 goals and 7 assists in 1200 minutes. Ridiculous. Don't think Young ever had the capacity to do that.

 

Maybe I'm being harsh on Young but he was very much a get your head down, cut in and cross player. Very effective, skilful and always fit but very one dimesnional. I don't think he would have the skillset to stand out in Unai's possession based, intricate system.

 

Bailey is more talented and more exciting IMO but I recognise that Young was an extremely important player for us 2007-11 and also when he played full back last season. He's had an incredible career and still playing at the top at 38 years old is some testament to him.

[omariqy]

3 minutes ago, Leeroy said:

Well he has done it consistently for this season. He's got 8 goals and 7 assists in 1200 minutes. Ridiculous. Don't think Young ever had the capacity to do that.

 

Maybe I'm being harsh on Young but he was very much a get your head down, cut in and cross player. Very effective, skilful and always fit but very one dimesnional. I don't think he would have the skillset to stand out in Unai's possession based, intricate system.

 

Bailey is more talented and more exciting IMO but I recognise that Young was an extremely important player for us 2007-11 and also when he played full back last season. He's had an incredible career and still playing at the top at 38 years old is some testament to him.

Na didn’t Young get like 15 assists in one season for us. Young did it for years 

[Leeroy]

3 minutes ago, omariqy said:

Na didn’t Young get like 15 assists in one season for us. Young did it for years 

Yeah 2007-08 but they were mostly from crosses or set pieces, Bailey's assists are more varied. I did say Bailey's challenge will be to do it consistently for next 3-4 years, if he does he will eclipse Young. 

[It's Your Round]

Young performed to that high standard consistently for years, let’s hope Bailey can do the same now he’s found his feet. They’re different types of winger but I get the comparison. 

[lexicon]

9 hours ago, Tom13 said:

What's been proven wrong? Bailey flattered to deceive and had really poor decision making for quite a while. Right now, and for a while, he's on fire.

Everything they said when they wrote him off as a player.

Quote

 

He's a complete and utter dud. Slow, weak, lazy, one footed, ponderous, unfit, predictable.

Bad player. Bad attitude. 

 

What part of that was correct?

It was pretty obvious that he struggled in his first year at the club but there were mitigating factors - his injuries, the new league and team and 2 managers sacked in his time. 

We didn't buy a complete unknown who Unai magicked into something amazing - we bought a player who had proven himself in the Bundesliga and was one of the best wingers in that league at the time. It was a major coup for us given where we were in the grand scheme of things. This is what he was doing:
 

 

There's no doubt that Unai has got him back on track, plus helped him develop and add some stuff to his game, but let's not pretend that he was 'slow, lazy, one-footed, a bad player' etc. because he never was. 

It doesn't take any special skill to point out that a player is not playing well but those at the time did not simply say that, they wrote him off completely, as per those comments highlighted. 

 

[lexicon]

1 minute ago, It's Your Round said:

Young performed to that high standard consistently for years, let’s hope Bailey can do the same now he’s found his feet. They’re different types of winger but I get the comparison. 

Yeah, he had 4 seasons of being top class tbf. 

[Leeroy]

3 minutes ago, lexicon said:

Everything they said when they wrote him off as a player.

What part of that was correct?

It was pretty obvious that he struggled in his first year at the club but there were mitigating factors - his injuries, the new league and team and 2 managers sacked in his time. 

We didn't buy a complete unknown who Unai magicked into something amazing - we bought a player who had proven himself in the Bundesliga and was one of the best wingers in that league at the time. It was a major coup for us given where we were in the grand scheme of things. This is what he was doing:
 

 

There's no doubt that Unai has got him back on track, plus helped him develop and add some stuff to his game, but let's not pretend that he was 'slow, lazy, one-footed, a bad player' etc. because he never was. 

It doesn't take any special skill to point out that a player is not playing well but those at the time did not simply say that, they wrote him off completely, as per those comments highlighted. 

 

Bailey looked really good down the left in some of those clips, so we could definitely play him there and Diaby on the right. Still think we need to try to get both of them on the pitch at the same time. 

[AvonVillain]

56 minutes ago, Villa87 said:

Absolutely sublime. Humble pie my end as I just didn’t see this uplift in form. However, the negative comments from the previous two season wasn’t without merit!

[Adam2003]

10 hours ago, Tom13 said:

What's been proven wrong? Bailey flattered to deceive and had really poor decision making for quite a while. Right now, and for a while, he's on fire.

Haven’t been involved in the debate but I guess for me (without wanting to get sucked in) it’s the hyperbole we get. “He’s not playing well, I don’t think he’s going to cut it here” is a totally reasonable position on a player not performing. What we tend to get these days is “Complete and utter dud! Stealing a living! Bad attitude! Absolute waste of money!” We see it time and again and then the player adapts/settles/starts performing but people don’t seem to learn. So for me it’s less about an opinion being “wrong” and more like “maybe it’s worth giving Tielemans a bit more time…” when people were writing him off in November, or “maybe it’s worth giving Diaby/Zaniolo a bit more time” now… of course, people are perfectly entitled to think those players won’t make it. 

[lexicon]

Just now, Adam2003 said:

Haven’t been involved in the debate but I guess for me (without wanting to get sucked in) it’s the hyperbole we get. “He’s not playing well, I don’t think he’s going to cut it here” is a totally reasonable position on a player not performing. What we tend to get these days is “Complete and utter dud! Stealing a living! Bad attitude! Absolute waste of money!” We see it time and again and then the player adapts/settles/starts performing but people don’t seem to learn. So for me it’s less about an opinion being “wrong” and more like “maybe it’s worth giving Tielemans a bit more time…” when people were writing him off in November, or “maybe it’s worth giving Diaby/Zaniolo a bit more time” now… of course, people are perfectly entitled to think those players won’t make it. 

It's this, 100%. 

[Adam2003]

1 hour ago, Leeroy said:

Well he has done it consistently for this season. He's got 8 goals and 7 assists in 1200 minutes. Ridiculous. Don't think Young ever had the capacity to do that.

 

Maybe I'm being harsh on Young but he was very much a get your head down, cut in and cross player. Very effective, skilful and always fit but very one dimesnional. I don't think he would have the skillset to stand out in Unai's possession based, intricate system.

 

Bailey is more talented and more exciting IMO but I recognise that Young was an extremely important player for us 2007-11 and also when he played full back last season. He's had an incredible career and still playing at the top at 38 years old is some testament to him.

Love Bailey but I do think you’re being harsh on Young in your second paragraph. He had loads to his game - hence the career you reference in your third. But it’s a good comparison as two players who at their peak get the ball anywhere and you think “hmm maybe they’ll skin a few people now and we will score…”

[troon_villan]

"He used to be shite but now he's alright"

[Tom13]

31 minutes ago, Adam2003 said:

Haven’t been involved in the debate but I guess for me (without wanting to get sucked in) it’s the hyperbole we get. “He’s not playing well, I don’t think he’s going to cut it here” is a totally reasonable position on a player not performing. What we tend to get these days is “Complete and utter dud! Stealing a living! Bad attitude! Absolute waste of money!” We see it time and again and then the player adapts/settles/starts performing but people don’t seem to learn. So for me it’s less about an opinion being “wrong” and more like “maybe it’s worth giving Tielemans a bit more time…” when people were writing him off in November, or “maybe it’s worth giving Diaby/Zaniolo a bit more time” now… of course, people are perfectly entitled to think those players won’t make it. 

Yeah fair point.