Do you remember 18th September 2021?
Aston Villa ended Evertonβs unbeaten run with a 3-0 victory over the Toffees, putting Dean Smithβs side on 7 points after 5 games. With goal contributions from the Polish Cafu himself, Matty Cash and an own goal from future Villan Lucas Digne, one man, in particular, shone above the rest with his 22-minute cameo.
Signed for a fee of Β£30 million from Bayern Leverkusen, Leon Bailey impressed the footballing world with his immediate impact from the substitute bench. The Jamaican beautifully curled his corner into Evertonβs box, only to be headed into Jordan Pickfordβs goal net by Lucas Digne before a thunderous strike from Bailey at 75 minutes secured the 3-0 win for Aston Villa. After one of the most impressive debut performances by an Aston Villa player in recent times, what has happened to Leon Bailey? Why have we seen the player who blew Everton aside with his speed and artfulness fade into a state of mediocrity?
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Letβs break down what was a thoroughly disappointing debut season for Leon Bailey. With 18 appearances for Aston Villa in the Premier League, Bailey contributed with 1 goal and 2 assists alongside a 57.1% shooting accuracy. For a player who for Bayern Leverkusen, during the 2020/21 Bundesliga season, scored 9 goals, and contributed with 8 assists from 30 games itβs fair to say that the Jamaican attacker has struggled to adapt to the increased physicality and technical nature of the Premier League. Additionally, with a large period on the sidelines injured from December to February, Leon Bailey has struggled to maintain any consistency with his performances resulting in many questions being asked from the Villa faithful.
Nevertheless, manager Steven Gerrard has been complimentary of the winger on many occasions by making it clear that he wants him as part of his squad.
βWeβve signed a talent who has produced at his previous clubs and heβs shown flashes. Leonβs focus has to be on staying fit, getting himself in the best physical condition and allowing his talent to flourish. Heβs a fantastic player and we need to see more of it.β
Itβs fair to dispute the quality of Leon Baileyβs performances so far at Aston Villa yet if there is one quality to him that you canβt argue, that has to be his mindset and determination. From an early age after growing up in the crime-riddled Cassava Piece in Jamaica, Bailey was one of the 23 children who Craig Butler adopted and brought to his newly formed academy, Phoenix All-Stars. From the stewardship of Butler, Leon Bailey travelled all around Europe to search for opportunities through trials before moving to Anif, located in the Austrian state of Salzburg. After scoring 75 goals in just 15 games for Anifβs Under 15s side, it was in Austria where Belgium side Genk took notice and quickly signed Leon alongside his brothers, resulting in the upwards trajectory of his footballing career. Taking this unusual, tiresome route to footballing stardom, Bailey has understood the meanings of a hard work ethic and mental resilience from an early age.
For any foreign player attempting to understand the culture of England and the Premier League, it can take long periods to become fully accustomed to a different way of living and an altered way of playing. From Austria to Belgium as well as Germany and now England, Bailey has had to constantly leave behind everything and everyone he has known as a sacrifice for the betterment of his footballing career. It is too early to disregard the talent that is Leon Bailey just because of a poor first season in regards to consistency. As writer Ben Welch brilliantly described in his article for the Guardian back in May 2021, players donβt suddenly forget how to play the game.
ββPlayers donβt suddenly forget how to play the game, so this loss of function and confidence must run deeper, emanating from a malfunction in the bodyβs nerve centre β the brain.ββ
ββEvery player, even Lionel Messi, has experienced a loss of form at some point during their career (he failed to score in eight consecutive La Liga matches during the 2013-14 season). For most, itβs just temporary. Others take a little longer to rediscover their rhythm.ββ
The 2022/23 Premier League season will commence on Friday 5th August and I fully believe that this will be the season that Leon Bailey announces his name to the footballing world consistently. Equally, with Aston Villa continuing to invest in increasing the quality of Steven Gerrardβs team for a higher finish in the Premier League, could Leon Bailey help contribute to this success? Leon Bailey is a name that has been wrongly hidden in the shadows throughout his time in England so far. He has an abundance of skills that make him a unique entity to any football club, with his electric speed and skill hoping to help him catapult into the bright lights of the Premier League elite.
Liam.
AUTHOR | LIAM BRYAN
Authorβs UTV PODCAST archive Liam Bryan – UTV Podcast | An Aston Villa Blog
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