A home loss to those whining Gunners wasn’t even the worst part of visiting Villa Park last Saturday. For some fans, due to late opening turnstiles and digital ticketing issues, it took 40 to 60 minutes just to get into the stadium, only to be greeted by overflowing troughs in the toilets once they finally made it inside. But hey, those are minor details. There’s still plenty for Villans to be cheerful about—here are this week’s five reasons why…
Roger That
It was impossible to watch the Arsenal game without noticing the number 27 in claret and blue. Morgan Rogers exuded confidence and positivity as he challenged the opposition’s defense. Since signing for Villa, his performances have been steadily improving, but considering Villa were up against one of the ‘Big 7,’ Rogers’ display this weekend has significantly elevated his reputation in the Premier League. With Lee Carsley in attendance at Villa Park, Rogers is surely on the radar of the interim England manager, who is already familiar with him from the England youth setup. Less than a year into his time at Villa, Rogers has already justified the approximately £15 million fee paid to Middlesbrough and appears to be finally fulfilling the potential that Manchester City recognized several years ago. Their loss is our gain.
Performance Levels
It’s well documented that Villa’s performances dipped after their fantastic back-to-back wins against Manchester City and Arsenal last December. Whether this was due to injuries, fatigue, or the dizzying heights of success remains unknown. One of the concerns heading into the new season was whether this inconsistent form might carry over. Pre-season did little to ease those fears, as Villa looked disjointed, though crucial players were missing. However, the usual clichés about pre-season have so far been proven right, as Villa has looked impressive in the opening two matches. Facing West Ham away and Arsenal at home is a tricky start to the season, and if not for Ollie Watkins’ off-day in front of goal, those performances might have resulted in six points. If Villa can continue defending and attacking with this level of intensity and cohesion, the season promises to be another memorable one.
Window Dressing
The silly season is finally coming to a close, with clubs scrambling to buy, sell, and comply with next year’s PSR requirements. Villa’s transfer window may not have been as turbulent as Chelsea’s, but the club has still been busy. So far, there have been eight new arrivals and six departures, with more business likely before the window slams shut. There’s hope that the highly-rated Lutsharel Geertruida can be added to the ranks, and that the squad can be trimmed of two Gerrard signings who are unlikely to feature: Diego Carlos and Leander Dendoncker.
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Recovery
Despite a strong performance against Arsenal, the points were lost, undoing all of the hard work. While there are few, if any, easy games in the Premier League, Villa now faces Leicester, Everton, Wolves, and Ipswich in the next four fixtures before Manchester United visits Villa Park. If Villa can maintain the performance levels from the Arsenal match during this run, they could head into the crucial tie against United with a solid points haul.
Steady Neddy
For the past few seasons, many fans have been acutely aware of Villa’s frailty at right-back. With persistent rumors of another defensive player joining before the window closes, it’s worth highlighting the 18-year-old who has been thrown into the deep end this season. Unai Emery seems keen on his new signing, Kosta Nedeljković. With Matty Cash unable to complete either of the opening two fixtures, Emery overlooked more experienced options in favor of Nedeljković. He looked shaky on the ball against West Ham, which is expected for a young player, but his determination and effort were evident. His next challenge was keeping Gabriel Martinelli quiet, and he did so admirably. Hopefully, as he gains more experience and minutes with the first team, Emery can mold him into the right-back the team sorely needs.
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