Aston Villa have enjoyed a storming start to this season, with Leon Bailey’s displays going largely under the radar.
Unai Emery has done a brilliant job at Aston Villa, one which nobody saw coming. From arriving at the club in what was a difficult moment, he has turned it all around and now has the Villians challenging the top four.
Thriving in Europe too, Emery couldn’t have foreseen his first year at the club going this well. Even rivals such as Wolves’ Gary O’Neil can’t help but praise the job Emery has done.
It seems to not really matter who he plays, the style and ideas remain which leads to wins. But despite this, one man will be thinking that he is deserving of being a regular at the same level of Moussa Diaby and Ollie Watkins, and we agree.
Leon Bailey has been a sensation this season and finally seems to be coming good on his ‘big potential‘ which Emery has raved about.
Bailey needs to start every game for Villa
Bailey has been a regular in the Europa Conference League, but in the Premier League, he has only started two games. However, his stats read more like someone who has played every game from the start with three goals and two assists as per SofaScore.
This sees him average a goal contribution every 53 minutes in the league. In all competitions, he has six goals and four assists which is one every 72 minutes.
Undoubtedly Bailey is playing the best football he has done at Villa and his stats absolutely justify the £100k-per-week which he is on until June 2025. despite it previously looking like a flopped deal.
Now though, Bailey is Villa’s second-highest contributor behind only Watkins and should really be a player starting every game, but where should he go?
Where does Bailey fit into the starting XI
Bailey could belong to either wing, with John McGinn clearly the other name to join him. Using the line-up against AZ Alkmaar as a basis, Bailey on the right with McGinn on the left could be perfect, with Nicolo Zaniolo dropping out.
Jacob Ramsey would then also be an option in rotation for the position, but Bailey absolutely needs to be starting, simply he is playing too well to to be starting.
