Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has praised Morgan Rogers for the development he’s shown and impact he’s made since joining the club in January.
The 21-year-old emerged as a priority transfer target for the Villa boss in the January transfer window, and after a protracted pursuit, we eventually secured a deal to sign him.
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Rogers has gone on to make 12 appearances for Villa so far this season, scoring one goal and providing an assist, and although injuries have opened up opportunities for him to feature more prominently than he might have expected, he has started to establish himself as a trusted option for Emery and a regular starter.
Particularly after the loss of Jacob Ramsey for the rest of the season to injury but also with Emiliano Buendia sidelined for the entire campaign thus far, Rogers was an important addition to the squad in the New Year, and Emery isn’t surprised by how well he has fitted in, as evidently he was convinced by what he could add to his group.
“It is not a surprise because when we analysed him playing in Middlesbrough and we decided to sign him, it’s because we watched his characteristics as a player,” Emery told the media at his pre-Bournemouth press conference. “There is still a lot of work to do with him. Every player starts somewhere, League One, League Two, Championship, Premier League. It’s always a process with younger players.
“He was at the Manchester City academy and when he progressed, they decided to let him leave and he was progressing in the Championship. Of course, he had and he has shown us his qualities and then in structure, his qualities were perfect to introduce and set in our squad.
“Now, for different circumstances, he is playing more than we thought. One reason is because he is playing well and then because Jacob Ramsey, with the same qualities, is injured.
“When some players are injured like we had, it’s important to have players ready to play in our tactical ideas. He is learning so quickly and we will need him at the end of the season like he is playing now and even better.”
While Emery always gives praise and credit where it is earned, one of his key principles is to always be demanding and do more, and so he didn’t waste the chance to reiterate that Rogers must continue to work and develop his game.
At 21 years of age, there is obviously room for improvement and he’ll grow with experience and maturity. However, he’s also needed by his teammates now to make a more immediate impact in the next month, and while he’s shown really promising signs so far that he can adapt and implement Emery’s tactical ideas, he has to continue to make a bigger impact.
With Villa in the semi-finals of the Europa Conference League and continuing to chase a Champions League qualification spot, Rogers will have a key role to play in the next seven games, or hopefully more.
With his physical attributes, he is capable of making an important contribution. However, if he can continue to execute the instructions from Emery both as an individual and part of the collective, he’ll further establish himself as a pivotal figure in our plans moving forward and continue to justify why the Villa boss and his scouting staff were so adamant about signing him.