Full Name:
Eric Bertrand Bailly
Date of Birth:
Apr 12, 1994 (24)
Nationality:
Cote d'Ivoire
Height:
1,87 m
3
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 18
- Clean sheets
- 4
- Goals
- 0
- Assists
- 0
- Yellow cards
- 1
- Red cards
- 1
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) is joined by CEO Duncan Drasdo and Financial Director Andy Green from the Manchester United Supporters Trust for a special episode on all things behind the scenes at Old Trafford including a brief history of MUST and their aims today, views on INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe so far, and the Old Trafford regeneration.
- Status
Full Name:
Eric Bertrand Bailly
Date of Birth:
Apr 12, 1994 (24)
Nationality:
Cote d'Ivoire
Height:
1,87 m
Big season ahead for him - hope he can stay fit.
Love him but the goal was 100% his responsibility. Lost the header quite easily.
2v2 in the box like that is very difficult to defend.
The moment he couldn't touch the header it was a 100% goal. Bailly has never been good at heading.
The only player I've ever seen who gets smaller when he jumps. He turtles up.
Another player overrated by the Caf. The fact that we’re 2 years in and still not sure whether or not he’s got what it takes should tell you everything you need to know about how his time has gone here so far.
No one is unsure if he's got the ability. We're unsure if he can stay fit and consistent.
didn't get close enough to the attacker for that goal
he will need to sharpen up
he will need to sharpen up
He’s certainly lacking some heading ability for a CB though. He very often jumps really awkwardly, either by stooping or turning his back to the ball.
And heading ability is very important for CBs.
I also think some times he’s very rash with his challenges but that’s a maturity thing and will hopefully come to him.
I think the heading is what will prevent him from being a top CB in this league.
He had an unbelievable first half though and that’s where the talent is clear to see. No other CB at this club would have the composure or talent to lift the ball over the strikers head, then accelerate away down the wing to win a throw. He needs a consistent run of games with a consistent partner and those mistakes will get ironed out. Agree that he was at fault for the goal today though.
Easy to forget how good this lad is and also easy to forget he's on 24 years old. We need to sign an experienced CB that will help this lads game and decision making....
Imagine how many headers we would concede if we were forced to play a Bailly and Lindelof CB pairing.
there are question marks over ALL our CB's. There are none that you think are suring up the defence. Smalling is the best at one on ones vs good strikers. Smalling is probably the one that I would prefer to play the most but I still have doubts over him.
It's weird, it's almost like he jumps too high, as he does have a great leap on him. His leap is almost Ronaldo-like, but he ends up going over the ball and tries to head downwards. Evra used to do it alot too, he also had an outrageous leap but really poor timing. He seemed to get better as he got older though.
But for a centre back many consider to be our best, he needs to be commanding in the air right now, not in 3 or 4 years.
Needs a monumental season. No injuries, momentum and form is paramount for Bailly this year. Our opening fixtures aren't too bad, he can easily pick up some confidence if he starts the first few games.....I just have a bad feeling it'll be Smalling/Jones against Leicester.
Doubt it'll be Jones as it looks like all our World Cup semi finalists are going to miss the first league game. Bailly and Smalling seems likely. With no signings, that's easily our best pair anyway.
We need this kid to stay injury free and really step up this season.
He can do it and sometimes does, i don't know if it's a confidence thing.
Him and Smalling starting the season doesn't fill me with confidence, they seem to bring out the worst in each other. Smalling misses too much going on around him and Bailly starts lunging at things. Both of them need someone calm and commanding next to them.
I was about to post that I was actually looking forward to them starting the season together, as they complement each other quite well
Opinions eh?
big reason why SMalling is our no1 centre back is that he is reliable defender and specifically great in the air. Dont know whats our recruiting pattern to buy defenders shit in the air. Bailly and Lindelof are the opposite of Joses defenders. Yes we need Maguire. They could be a great CB couple, both great in the air and Maguire would make up for Smallings inability to play from the back and Smalling would cover for the lack of pace of the other.
Still high hopes for Bailly but he´s a mess in the air, not sure how much he can improve in that resort
Still high hopes for Bailly but he´s a mess in the air, not sure how much he can improve in that resort
I was about to post that I was actually looking forward to them starting the season together, as they complement each other quite well
Opinions eh?
Yeah
As footballers i'd agree. Just mentally they seem like they bring out the worst in each other.
Looked decent in the first half but quiet in the second half, probably lack of match fitness to be fair.
With no pressure at all on the ball-bearer, 2v 2 is a big chance for the attacking team if played right. Bailly’s mistake was that he didn’t look behind him for seemingly a long spell, so didn’t know the guy behind him was blatantly his to cover. It would still be difficult to mark him out in that situation.
I can see what you mean but the theory is similar for both Bailly and Lindelof who we have already invested in. They arent particularly good in the air but Smalling is so he can help them out a bit. Both of them are better on the ball so they can help Smalling out with the passing.
Hopefully this is his stand out season. Feel like he's got what it takes but it's difficult to learn when you're barely playing.
If he had won that header there would have been no chance at all. He missed the header, after that it was a 100% goal as the player was free.
I think I’ve said it in other threads but not here.... As talented as he is and capable of defending on the ground, his lack of aerial ability will prevent him from becoming a top CB in this league. I‘m fairly certain of that.
There have been quite few “short” CBs who have excelled in Italy or Spain without relying on great aerial ability but I really can’t remember a top quality CB in the EPL that wasn’t great in the air. I’m looking at the best CBs of the last quarter century, leading to the current crop and there’s nothing there.
Adams, Keown, Stam, Campbell, Terry, Ferdinand, Vidic, Carragher, Hyypia, Gallas, Carvalho, Cahill, Koscielny, Stones, Maguire.... All beasts in the air. Even the shorter ones among them were great at positioning, competing for and winning headers. It wasn’t a weakness of any of them. But it’s a visible weakness for Bailly.
And I’m not really sure how one improves on that at this level. You gain experience, more awareness better positioning as you mature and get older. But you don’t really improve on core skills so much, so I’d be very surprised if he considerably improved. Which is what he’ll need to do to if we expect him to become a great CB played in a pairing (rather than trio)
There have been quite few “short” CBs who have excelled in Italy or Spain without relying on great aerial ability but I really can’t remember a top quality CB in the EPL that wasn’t great in the air. I’m looking at the best CBs of the last quarter century, leading to the current crop and there’s nothing there.
Adams, Keown, Stam, Campbell, Terry, Ferdinand, Vidic, Carragher, Hyypia, Gallas, Carvalho, Cahill, Koscielny, Stones, Maguire.... All beasts in the air. Even the shorter ones among them were great at positioning, competing for and winning headers. It wasn’t a weakness of any of them. But it’s a visible weakness for Bailly.
And I’m not really sure how one improves on that at this level. You gain experience, more awareness better positioning as you mature and get older. But you don’t really improve on core skills so much, so I’d be very surprised if he considerably improved. Which is what he’ll need to do to if we expect him to become a great CB played in a pairing (rather than trio)
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Terribile in the air (laughable) always messy, ruffled, agitated; clearly prone to injuries and to yellow/red cards
He is like a bomb who can explode in every moment.
And this is the best we have
God bless
He is like a bomb who can explode in every moment.
And this is the best we have
God bless
So what should we do? Sell all, start from the beginning -FM18 style. Bailly got potential and should have a few more moments to impress.
We have had seasons with Jones/Evans/Smalling/Blind- why should Bailly be the one getting put down by ”fans”-atleast he got time on his side.
completely agreed. would also be a travesty to play three centre backs and one less attacker because we don't have good enough centrebacks well we don't have a RW and in fact even a proper LW so can see it happening, to top it off think we might see Darmian as a WB and Fellaini somewhere in the mix
While I do believe that many on here do significantly overrate Bailly, let's not underrate him either. On a good day he's a beast, very good at pretty much everything bar in the air. The huge problem he has had so far is consistency. Obviously injuries have played their part in that, but even when he has stayed fit he's had some great periods and then other periods where he's been very shaky.
Overall, he's got great potential. The two things which are holding him back from reaching that are his injuries and his consistency. If he improves those then we'll be sitting pretty. If he doesn't then ultimately he'll go down as another Jones.
Also, he's not the best we have. Potentially he might be, but until he lives up to that Smalling will continue to be our best as he has been for years now.
There's plenty advocating for that to be our starting central defence this season.
He's right and it is damning.
Bailly gets rated for the odd inverted ninja combo tackle thingy when he, like Rojo, Jones and co. has alternated between having poor games and solid games. Also mirrors Jones in injury record. File with the other inconsistent CBs we have.
All the more bizarre because Jones will be lambasted for it but Bailly making a mistake is funny because its Bailly and he's just so funny lolz.
That's the biggest concern. I think his flaws are ironed out by his strengths ultimately. Put a proper defender beside him and he's a great asset.
But he's got a question mark over him heading into this season.
Then again, Phil Jones is still here and seemingly never leaving so he's probably good for another 2-3 seasons.
The weird thing about Bailly being awful in the air is that he has a great leap, timing is just awful.
Was not great in the air.
Cahill, Stones, Koscielny are good at attacking set piece in opposition half due to their mobility. Defending set piece in their own box they're not great, if not bang average. Their partner often stand out.
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