Aston Villa bolstered their depth in January through the signing of Morgan Rogers however, Unai Emery could now see the 21-year-old as more than just a squad player.
Aston Villa have seen their squad stretched throughout the 2023/24 campaign due to multiple key injuries however, Unai Emery has not been phased by the absences.
Sitting in fourth place with nine Premier League games left to play, the Villans are in touching distance of securing a place in next season’s Champions League.
Regardless of where the Midlands club find themselves in May, it’s been a successful season for Emery’s squad, who as mentioned, have been severely tested by injury.
Suffering three ACL injuries to key players in one season is damning luck for any club to suffer on top of a host of other injuries along the way too, reinforcing just how well the manager has done to keep his side in the running for top four.
In the previous fixture, Villa were held to a 1-1 draw with West Ham United at the London Stadium, a game that saw a slight reshuffle of personnel as Morgan Rogers and Jhon Duran were handed their Premier League debuts.
Unai Emery decision could be key to the progression of Morgan Rogers
While Duran’s inclusion was that of a tactical decision, Rogers retained his starting position in the lineup following the 4-0 win over Ajax, covering for the injured Jacob Ramsey on the left flank.
Arriving in the January window from Middlesbrough, the 21-year-old has shown glimpses of what he can add to Villa’s attack, with his performance against Ajax impressing many.
That being said, Emery opted to withdraw the Englishman at halftime against the Eredivisie side due to him receiving a yellow card but handed the youngster more minutes against the Hammers.
Speaking on the 1874 podcast, journalist Jacob Tanswell praised the manager’s decision to give Rogers sufficient time to express himself against West Ham, admitting the call would have boosted the player.
“In the first half he was getting into some great positions, he just couldn’t produce that quality. I was glad he stayed on because I think there’s some really good attributes there, there’s some really good positional understanding.”
“He could’ve been someone that came off at halftime but I think it would’ve done him the world of good to have stayed on for the hour.”
Morgan Rogers could have a vital part to play in the run-in
Lauded by Tanswell for the bright sparks he showed at the London Stadium, Rogers’ impact on the game in the first half suggests that he could have a significant part to play in the remainder of the 2023/24 campaign.
The former Championship ace showed a fearless streak to dart into attractive positions in the final third, putting through a number of encouraging balls to highlight his awareness in attack.
While there is still a lot for the 21-year-old to learn, his Premier League debut showed a confidence that Emery must now build on by handing him a greater part to play in the squad’s schedule.
The Europa Conference League could provide the boss with the keys to enhance Rogers’ development, as similar energy was shown against Ajax as he looked to grasp the opportunity he’d been handed in a European fixture.
In the 45 minutes he played against Ajax, Rogers completed two key passes and one shot, via Sofascore, portraying his desire to make a difference going forward and the playmaking quality he possesses to the advantage of his teammates.
It would be thought that a lot of Rogers’ future inclusion will depend on Ramsey’s fitness status, with the Bodymoor Heath graduate Emery’s firm favourite to start on the left side.
What the 21-year-old’s fast and excitable start to life at Villa has done is provide the boss with the ability to spark healthy competition, an element that could only benefit the Villans in their upcoming challenges.
The post Rarely-seen gem could play big role in Aston Villa top-4 hopes after what Emery did recently - opinion appeared first on Aston Villa News.