Aston Villa: Unai Emery must hook Morgan Rogers v Ajax, Lee Hendrie called him ‘lucky’
With a spot in the Europa Conference League quarter-finals on the line, Unai must make some difficult decisions at half-time as Aston Villa aim to maintain their one-goal advantage against Ajax.
After a goalless first leg on Thursday 7 March, it could be that Ollie Watkins’ 25th-minute header is the only thing that separates the two sides one week later.
Referee Orel Grinfield has somewhat taken the spotlight during the first half at Villa Park, handing out yellow cards to Villa’s Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins, and Ajax’s Sivert Heggheim Mannsverk, which Emery needs to take into consideration.
Unai Emery must substitute Morgan Rogers before a Tottenham Hotspur repeat for Aston Villa
Having gone down to 10 men against Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Sunday 10 March, Emery will be desperate to avoid the same fate in the Europa Conference League.
With Watkins leaving the field through injury, and being replaced by Jhon Duran, the team need a forward who is able to get physical and pressure the Ajax defence.
Rogers was yellow-carded with his first challenge of the game, and having won 33 per cent of his ground duels and 0 per cent of his aerial duels, Villa must bite the bullet and hook him before the referee sends him for an early shower. [FotMob]
This means that he will be unable to properly get involved, allowing the Dutch side to take more time on the ball and pressure the Villa defence.
Compared to his display in the first leg, possessing a 70 per cent win rate with his ground duels, fans will be disappointed that he has not been more involved. [FotMob]
The former Middlesbrough winger needs to be sacrificed, with the player touching the ball just 12 times in the first half. [FotMob]
Speaking live via Sky Sports News on Thursday (14 March), Lee Hendrie said: “Morgan Rogers is very lucky to still be on the pitch, he’s received the yellow card then just had another challenge that even himself he pleaded innocent and got away with it. Wouldn’t surprise me if he came off as well.”
The 21-year-old may be able to boast a 100% pass completion in the match, as per FotMob, but Rogers has been relatively ineffective on the left wing and could put Emery’s side under a world of pressure if he is to be sent off.
A red card in this position would only put more pressure on the Villans. After John McGinn was shown a straight red against Tottenham, Emery will be keen to avoid this as Villa shipped two late goals in a 4-0 defeat.
In other Aston Villa news, a journalist has mooted a high-profile exit after a £110million+ development has emerged.
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