Leon Bailey surely now undroppable for Unai Emery at Aston Villa, he looked all set for Villa Park exit months ago
Leon Bailey looked all set for the Aston Villa exit door during the summer transfer window but fast forward a few months he’s now an undroppable commodity for Unai Emery at Villa Park.
Bailey arrived in the Midlands from Bayer Leverkusen back in 2021 and last season he nailed himself down a regular starting place.
The Jamaican international was handed 26 starts last season but his unpredictable performances failed to convince so many of the Aston Villa faithful and Emery, and his future was left in jeopardy following the addition of Moussa Diaby in the summer.
Football Insider reported on 31 July that the club’s owners NWSE were willing to listen to offers for Bailey as his departure would aid Emery in his bid to spend big on another attacking signing.
It was said that Aston Villa were hoping to “raise cash” to fund another forward signing and identified the attacker as a player they could let go of before the end of the summer window due to him no longer being seen as a “regular starter” by the Spanish coach.
While Diaby’s arrival may have had a profound effect on his former Leverkusen teammate, Bailey may well have been forgiven for picturing his former Leverkusen teammate’s arrival as a chance to spring his Villa Park career back into life.
Fast forward three months and the fleet-footed Jamaican attacker has certainly taken Emery’s decision to buy his former Leverkusen teammate quite personally.
So far this campaign, Bailey has recorded three goals and four assists in the Premier League, already just one contribution away from matching his tally of last season (four goals, four assists) [Transfermarkt].
In Villa’s last eight games in all competitions, he’s bagged two goals and four assists (SofaScore) with a number of those appearances coming from the bench.
Cameo appearances are only small sample sizes when trying to analyse a player’s influence and development in a team but Bailey’s have been mightily consistent.
Against Tottenham in their 2-1 win (26 November), he may not have got on the scoresheet, but he certainly troubled the Tottenham defence, with Bailey having one shot on target and two shots blocked, while he completed three of his four dribble attempts, as per Sofascore.
The attacker was unlucky not to have found the back of the net as he hit the woodwork with an effort in North London, but again he impressed elsewhere with the ball as he registered one key pass and completed his only long ball attempt (100%).
Against Legia Warsaw on Thursday (30 November), it was the same story. Bailey played the final 19 minutes and was full of flicks and tricks, turning his opposite number inside out on one occasion to get the Villa fans going.
As per Sofascore, Bailey completed two of his three dribbles (66.67%) – as many as any other player on the field, despite his limited minutes.
What Bailey brings to this Villa side arguably more than any other player is a directness, as reflected in the progressive carries metric.
Across the past 12 months, Bailey ranks in the 98th percentile of all forward across Europe’s top five leagues in that department [FBref].
That is defined as an attack that moves the ball 10 yards or more closer to the opponent’s goal, which we saw a few times against Legia.
It was a cameo appearance that The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell described as “excellent”, and one Emery was no doubt impressed by.
Rewarded with his first start in the Premier League since August against Bournemouth – the 4-0 win over Everton (20 August) – Bailey was on the scoresheet yet again but also created one big chance, registered one key pass, completed 50% of his dribbles, 84% of his passes and won four of his ground duels [SofaScore].
For a player who looked a goner just a few months ago, his renaissance and growth since then have been nothing short of sensational and it’s such form which now leaves Emery with no choice but to start him from now on.
Long may it continue on B6.
In other Aston Villa news, one Villan was twice branded “unbelievable” for what he did against Bournemouth.