Aston Villa suffered two defeats last week as many players looked tired, giving Unai Emery a decision to make about Leon Bailey ahead of Thursday night’s crucial game.
Unai Emery must see an improvement in performance levels on Thursday night, as Aston Villa prepare for the decisive Europa Conference League semi-final second leg.
The Villans suffered a shock 4-2 defeat at home in the first leg against Olympiacos, making Thursday evening’s challenge an incredibly tough scenario to overcome, particularly when judging the tiredness of the squad at present.
Last time out, Villa were unable to secure a result against Brighton, losing 1-0 at the Amex to Roberto De Zerbi’s side who before the game, were without a win in six.
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A host of members from Emery’s squad looked jaded on the South Coast, which could prompt the manager to rotate his side in Greece on Thursday, despite the risk of compromising strength.
One player who looked to struggle against Brighton was Leon Bailey, who was noted to look fatigued on several occasions during the fixture.
Leon Bailey needs a rest against Olympiacos after Brighton performance
The Jamaican brings an unmatched directness to this Villa side on the right side, however, his recent performances suggest the 26-year-old is in dire need of a rest.
Against the Seagulls, journalist Jacob Tanswell relayed that the winger looked both ‘leggy’ and ‘knackered’ at the Amex, as he appeared to be far from able to produce a moment of magic.
When reviewing how slowly Bailey started the game, it’s remarkable that the forward lasted 90 minutes on the pitch, with the heavy strapping seen on his knee offering questions about his true fitness levels.
As seen in his statistics above from Sunday’s defeat, the £120k-a-week jewel’s performance levels dropped as a result of his fatigue, giving Emery a significant decision to make ahead of Thursday’s must-win duel with Olympiacos.
Who could replace Leon Bailey against Olympiacos?
Part of the reason for the dip in intensity at Villa in recent weeks is the lack of depth that Emery has to work with in the squad, as the club’s injury list continues to pile up.
When it comes to forwards, the likely replacement for Bailey would be Nicolo Zaniolo, who himself was absent against Brighton as he continues to nurse a knock.
The manager’s limits are being tested in attack at the moment, with Morgan Rogers having to be hauled off against the Seagulls, seeing him replaced by Matty Cash on the wing, telling all that needs to be known about Villa’s injury situation.
An option on Thursday with the need for a goal could be the entrance of Jhon Duran as a second striker in place of Bailey, with there hope that Zaniolo may return to play in the wide areas.
It’s an unfortunate situation of damage limitations ahead of the Olympiacos clash, with players such as the Jamaica international in desperate need of rest, while a significant task is also there to overcome.
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