Aston Villa manager Unai Emery must now tread carefully around Leon Bailey following the Jamaican’s poor performance against Tottenham last week.
After the turmoil that Aston Villa suffered against Tottenham on Sunday, it’s easy to forget just how far Unai Emery has driven the Villans this season.
When the manager took charge of the 15th-place side in October 2022, not many would have anticipated where the current squad would be sitting.
Poised two points clear in fourth place and one game away from the quarter-finals of the Europa Conference League, the Spaniard has installed a new standard at Villa Park however, he must now pay close attention to one of his star players.
Unai Emery must tread carefully with Leon Bailey
Leon Bailey has been in the form of his life in England this season, giving Villa fans a glimpse of just how influential his talents can be to Emery’s side.
The Jamaican has directly contributed to 16 goals in the Premier League this term, scoring eight and assisting eight to become a real menace on the right flank.
After a slow start, Emery opted against handing the winger a spot in his starting XI at the beginning of the campaign, something that the 26-year-old has since turned around due to his “scintillating” displays, as he was lauded by Garth Crooks.
Sunday’s performance against Spurs was a bad day at the office for all involved in claret and blue, with Bailey’s display being one of the worst due to one key mistake by the manager.
By switching the formation, Emery moved the Jamaican away from the right flank and into a central area, a decision that proved to be heavily detrimental to his playing style and subsequently, Villa’s afternoon.
Speaking on the Claret and Blue podcast, host Dan Rolinson likened the display of the winger to the form he showed “two years ago” when he was far less impactful than he is now.
Leon Bailey is crucial to Aston Villa’s form
It’s clear that like any player, Bailey’s form is fuelled by his confidence and comfort on the pitch, making Emery’s decision to take him away from the right flank a poor call.
Against Spurs, the 26-year-old completed only four passes and attempted no dribbles, highlighting just how far away from the game he was.
The manager must now assess just how high the risk is of knocking his star wideman off his perch, with there being little room for the forward to drop his performance levels back to what they previously were.
Without Bailey’s influence on the right, Villa would be in a far worse position than they are now, telling of just how fundamental his individual form is to his teammates and how the entire squad plays.
With 10 games to go in the Premier League, Emery cannot risk encouraging a dip in the winger’s performance again through something as bold as a position change, as Villa learned on Sunday just how limited their final third play can be without their front line ticking.
