Aston Villa are riding the crest of a wave right now under Unai Emery and the way things are going, there appears to be no slowing down under the Spaniard.
The 1-0 victory over Bayern Munich on Wednesday evening was just reward for the Midlands side, repeating their victory over the side that they defeated in the 1982 European Cup final.
Thoughts will now turn back to domestic matters, which should be Emery’s bread and butter. Without a top four finish in the Premier League, they won’t be able to experience the scenes displayed at Villa Park in midweek.
The former Arsenal manager has been given free rein in the transfer market to bring players in that he thinks can improve the side, which is evident with regard to the arrival of Amadou Onana.
The Belgian isn’t the only signing that has made an impact in the starting XI, as Morgan Rogers has exerted his influence during the opening few weeks of the season, and he could turn out to be one of Emery’s finest acquisitions.
How much Aston Villa paid for Morgan Rogers
Midway through the 2023/24 campaign, Rogers had scored seven goals and registered nine assists for Middlesbrough, emerging as one of the brightest talents in the second tier.
The former Manchester City youngster was clearly attracting attention due to his exploits for Boro, which led to Emery eventually bringing him to Villa Park.
Rogers cost the club an initial £8m fee, but this could rise to £16m if all the odd-ons were met.
Given how well he has performed in a Villa shirt since making the move, this fee could soon turn out to be a wonderful bargain.
Morgan Rogers’ statistics for Villa
It didn’t take long for the player to settle in at his new club, especially making the leap from the Championship to the Premier League.
In 11 top flight games, Rogers scored three times while grabbing one assist, despite starting eight times. He also played another five times in the Conference League but failed to register a goal contribution in the competition.
This season, he has forced his way into the starting XI for good, playing from the start in all Champions League and Premier League matches thus far.
While he may have scored just once and chipped in with two assists, his performances have been dazzling under Emery, who has deployed him as an attacking midfielder.
Indeed, in the Premier League, the 22-year-old has created four big chances, averaged 1.4 key passes per game and succeeded with two dribbles per game, proving how influential he is going forward.
The Englishman also averages 1.8 shots per game in the top flight, while he has even missed three big chances across six matches, indicating that his goal tally should certainly be more than one.
The more he plays, the better Rogers will get. Judging by his recent displays, there is no reason why he can’t reach the very top, especially with experience in the Champions League against teams such as Bayern.
Did Emery sell a player in the summer who is currently outperforming Rogers this term, however? As Moussa Diaby has taken to life in the Middle East with ease…
Moussa Diaby’s Villa stats under Emery
The Frenchman became the club’s record signing in the summer of 2023, arriving from Bayer Leverkusen for a fee in the region of £51.9m, clearly suggesting that Emery meant business ahead of his first full season in charge of the club.
The winger made a total of 54 appearances in all competitions for the club, scoring ten goals and grabbing nine assists in the process. Given the record fee, there was no doubt Diaby was expected to offer more in the final third.
With the need to move a couple of players on to comply with financial fair play regulations (FFP), Emery accepted an offer of around £50m to sell the winger to Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad, thus ending his spell in the Midlands after a solitary campaign.
Recouping the fee they paid out for him just 12 months prior was good business by the manager, but this is looking like a slightly hasty move on their part, especially with his current form for his new side.
Moussa Diaby's record since leaving
Many may have questioned his decision to move to the Middle East, despite approaching the peak years of his career, but Diaby has showcased his talents for Al-Ittihad during the early stages of his spell.
The £130k-per-week sensation may not have opened his account since his move from England, but he has registered seven assists in just six league games, a sublime start.
Metric
Diaby
Rogers
Goals
0
1
Assists
7
2
Key passes per game
3
1.5
Big chances created
9
4
Successful dribbles per game
2.3
2
Shots per game
1.5
1.8
Previously hailed as “perfect” by one prominent analyst, Diaby has taken to life at his new club with ease and there appears to be no stopping him.
Along with his assists, Diaby has also managed to create nine big chances in the league, while averaging three key passes per game and succeeding with 2.3 dribbles per game – a success rate of 61% – which clearly proves just how effective he is in the final third of the pitch.
Compare these statistics to the ones that Rogers has recorded this season, and it is clear who is enjoying the more productive season. No doubt about that.
Of course, Diaby did struggle at times for Villa, often being played out of position as a centre-forward, but perhaps a change of scenery has done him the world of good.
Aged just 25, he looks like he could be coming into the best years of his career, which may mean Emery sold him a tad early.
Rogers has plenty of time to get better and if he continues to demonstrate the form he has shown over the first few weeks of the season, he could enjoy a season to remember.
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