Aston Villa 1-0 Fulham (Tielemans 12’)
VILLA PARK — When Marco Asensio starts for Aston Villa, Morgan Rogers knows that means one thing: off to the wing you go.
It doesn’t always happen. Asensio has only started in half of his 18 Villa appearances, but when he does the Spaniard assumes the No 10 role, a promise Unai Emery made when bringing him in on loan from Paris Saint-Germain in February.
Which wing Rogers will subsequently occupy isn’t always clear, but he does as he is told. You would, too, if Emery was prowling the sidelines next to you.
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Against Fulham, watching Rogers went from the sideshow to becoming a full-time occupation. This match had plenty riding on it, but it largely lacked zip, typical of a Saturday lunchtime kick-off where everyone has been made to get up earlier.
With Asensio in the side, Rogers started on the left, which is a rarity of late having started on the right in their past three Champions League games, past three league games, and past two FA Cup games, including last weekend’s defeat to Crystal Palace at Wembley.
This switch though felt positive and was warmly welcomed by Villa fans, with Rogers looking effective down the left early on, arguably more comfortable when able to cut inside onto his favoured right foot with the pitch still at his mercy.
That was certainly the case in the build-up to Villa’s opener, with Rogers countering at speed and twisting Kenny Tete inside out before playing the ball forward. From the resulting corner, Youri Tielemans headed in.
Aston Villa lead early!
Youri Tielemans scores with a powerful header in the 12th minute, following a quality corner from John McGinn
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Rogers threatened again when drifting inside, but with 10 minutes remaining in the first half, Emery called on the England international to change wings with McGinn.
This was arguably Emery playing to McGinn’s strengths – the Scot registering an assist and impressing himself on his 200th Premier League appearance – as opposed to Rogers’, but in turn that spoke to his greater versatility.
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At 22, Rogers is far more malleable, a player with his best years ahead of him. Rumour mills will tell you of interest from Chelsea and Liverpool, but he is the least likely of all the attackers Villa would entertain offers for this summer.
He is quite simply their MVP, ranked as their most valuable player by CIES Football Observatory, while he would surely command more than the near-£70m he goes down for in their top-100 list.
In a game that lacked spark he was central to some of Villa’s brighter moments, adding Calvin Bassey and Antonee Robinson to his skinned list and playing a perfectly weighted pass for Ollie Watkins, who was denied the hosts’ second by Bernd Leno.
The switch of wings intriguingly kept Rogers closer to Emery’s side of the pitch – a tactic in itself, perhaps – and in a match that eventually became about defending the lead and these three points, he dug deep into the tank to help secure the win.
It was an all-round display. Not his best of the season, far from the worst, and now they are out of the cups – and with fifth still to play for – Villa need to manage Rogers carefully in this final month of the season.
He is looking tired. Only Tielemans and Emiliano Martinez played more Premier League minutes for Villa this season, and Emergy can ill-afford to rest Rogers now. There are three big games to go.
Beyond that, and once Asensio goes – a permanent signing is unlikely to materialise – this attack will surely be built around Rogers.
A return to No 10 is therefore possible, while Villa will be back in the market for attacking players if Marcus Rashford doesn’t stay either, but whether Rogers locks in a more permanent role remains to be seen.
He is an ongoing experiment, a thriving and tiring one, but his importance to this side will only grow, and right now he has the right coach, who is right in his ear, to ensure he keeps reaching new heights.
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Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( An afternoon watching Aston Villa’s MVP )
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