Unai Emery has rotated his Aston Villa side, particularly in recent weeks, but Youri Tielemans and Morgan Rogers have become somewhat untouchable.
While the Belgian midfielder has started all 32 of our Premier League games so far this season, making 47 appearances across all competitions, Rogers has featured in 46 games in total.
READ MORE: Villa chief hails key factor fuelling strong finish to Premier League season
It not only says a lot about their importance to Emery given how key they are to how we play, but the reliability and consistency of their availability should be equally lauded as it’s certainly not easy to perform at such a high level week in and week out as we continue to compete across multiple fronts.
Both players were decisive in our 3-0 win over Southampton this weekend, with Tielemans playing a delightful pass to set up Ollie Watkins for our opening goal to break the deadlock, while Rogers registered an assist of his own after providing for Donyell Malen’s effort.
While those are key moments that ultimately make the difference, they give us so much more with their all-round influence on how we play.
As our midfield orchestrator, Tielemans has consistently allowed us to dictate tempo and possession in games this season, keeping us ticking while linking our play between defence and attack efficiently.
Some critics questioned his fitness and athleticism while at Leicester City, and while his intelligence and positional awareness on the pitch play a key factor in allowing him to be so consistently influential, the tenacity and energy he has shown in his game this season also dismisses those old concerns.
While there is still a lot to play for and so much on the line for Villa this season, it’s hoped Tielemans stays healthy and continues to lead our charge as he, in conjunction with a midfield partner in that deeper pivot, is so integral to how we approach games and exploit weaknesses in our opponents.
As for Rogers, the 22-year-old has been so impressive in the way he has built on the impact and progress he showed in the second half of last season after joining us, having now registered 14 goals and 10 assists in 46 outings this year.
Given the nature of his style of play and his role, he has perhaps struggled with fatigue a little more, but he continues to match that quality in the final third with the ability to be a decisive cog in Emery’s system and style of play, regardless of position behind the frontman.
His direct running and technical ability on the ball is one thing, but the cleverness of his movement and his eye for a pass are also standing out now, with his all-round game continuing to improve.
The consistency of their reliability and availability this season have been fundamental strengths for this Villa team, and both Tielemans and Rogers have left no doubt over their importance to Emery in our pursuit of success.
