One Aston Villa player who has struggled this season can use the international break to explode into life once the action resumes next weekend.
Aston Villa entered the break with 14 points from a possible 21 in the Premier League, with Unai Emery’s men only tasting defeat against Arsenal.
In a period of reflection, Emery can be pleased with the start his side have made and the performances of several players.
The world-class Emi Martinez has continued his match-winning displays, Morgan Rogers has emerged as an ‘unplayable’ talent while Ollie Watkins is recapturing last season’s form.
Oh, and it’s impossible to forget Jhon Duran, who has scored five match-winning goals from the bench this term and continues to prove why he’s one of the best young strikers in the world.
There is however, one player who has failed to reach the heights of last season, and that is winger Leon Bailey.
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Leon Bailey’s incredible 2023/24 season at Aston Villa
Captured from Bayer Leverkusen for £30 million in 2021, it wasn’t until last season that Bailey finally started to showcase his unbelievable talents regularly.
With the help of Emery’s man management, the Jamaican international transformed into one of the Premier League’s most frightening wingers.
The 27-year-old dazzled defences most weeks, utilising his pace and wand of a left foot to devastating effect.
Bailey plundered 12 goals and 13 assists in all competitions, including 19 goal involvements in the top flight, to truly announce himself to the Villa faithful.
The jet-heeled winger produced some special moments during Villa’s top-four charge, namely the winning goal against Manchester City and assist for John McGinn in the victory over Arsenal, setting a Villa Park record.
Sadly, in the early stages of this campaign, Bailey has been unable to replicate last season’s form but the international break can help him explode into life.
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Leon Bailey can explode into life after the international break
The break has come at the perfect time for Bailey, who has been playing through pain in recent weeks, and that was evident in the goalless draw against Manchester United.
As a result, the former Leverkusen winger has lacked the bite and incisiveness that he normally possesses in wide areas.
So far, his only goal involvement has come in a 2-2 draw against Ipswich Town, where he assisted Watkins for his header.
Aside from that, Bailey has looked nowhere near the level of last season, and that was when he was almost impossible to stop.
Gabby Agbonlahor has even noticed that Bailey’s performances have dropped this term but as the saying goes, form is temporary and class is permanent.
Once he’s fully over the injury niggles and back to full fitness, the Villa star can return to his ‘wonderful’ best after the break.
