Morgan Rogers has spoken candidly about his season, defended Ollie Watkins against “ridiculous” criticism and revealed the collective anger driving Villa toward tonight’s Europa League final.
- Rogers admitted feeling “untouchable” before Christmas, before acknowledging a subsequent form dip
- He defended Watkins passionately “some of the stick people give him is ridiculous”
- The 23-year-old revealed the squad’s hunger was ignited by the PSG Champions League semi-final exit
- His words arrive on the eve of the biggest game of his career: tonight’s Europa League final
“I felt untouchable”. Rogers’ honest assessment
There is something deeply admirable about an elite footballer willing to articulate both the extraordinary highs and the humbling lows of a single season with complete honesty. Morgan Rogers delivered exactly that in his interview with the Express Star, and the candour of his self-assessment reflects a 23-year-old who understands his own game with a maturity that goes well beyond his years.
“Before Christmas and right after, I felt untouchable: the best Premier League player, which is what I want to be,” Rogers stated openly. That admission of acknowledging the specific period when he was operating at a level that had every major club in Europe tracking his every move, is not arrogance. It is the honest reflection of a player who knows what his ceiling looks like and is determined to inhabit it permanently rather than intermittently.
The statistics from that extraordinary early-season period support his assessment entirely. Rogers was instrumental in Villa’s remarkable run of 17 wins from 19 games between September and January contributing goals, assists, and creative output that placed him among the most productive attacking midfielders in the entire Premier League. The numbers leading into the Europa League final tell their own compelling story 13 goals, ten assists, and the competition’s leading figures for chances created and opposition box touches.
The Dip. Acknowledging what went wrong
Rogers did not hide behind excuses when addressing the subsequent drop in form. His self-awareness in identifying the specific issue, and his commitment to addressing it, reflects the character that has made him such a popular and respected figure within Emery’s squad.
“Then I struggled a bit and this is about my consistency, which is something I need to work on,” he stated. “I’m working on it.” That simple, unembellished acknowledgement is the mark of a player who takes personal responsibility rather than seeking external explanations. The mid-season dip coincided with Villa’s broader Premier League form deterioration: three consecutive defeats, difficult away results, and the physical toll of competing across multiple competitions simultaneously.
His broader reflection on the season’s overall arc was equally measured. “I can see progression from last season.” Rogers is not measuring himself against an unreachable ideal. He is measuring himself against where he was twelve months ago, and finding genuine and encouraging improvement.
“Angry and hungry”. The PSG moment that changed everything
The most powerful element of Rogers’ interview concerned the specific moment he believes ignited this Villa squad’s collective determination to win silverware. The PSG Champions League semi-final exit two seasons ago: a defeat that devastated the club at the time, has since become the fuel that powered everything that followed.
“I saw a team that after losing the PSG semi-final in the Champions League two seasons ago was angry and hungry for more,” Rogers stated. “And that’s all you can ask.” That observation captures something essential about the character Emery has built at Villa Park. Failure does not break this group. It sharpens it. The Olympiacos Conference League exit. The Crystal Palace FA Cup semi-final, which Rogers specifically acknowledged should have been a “concrete target.” The PSG defeat. Each near-miss has added another layer of hunger to a squad determined not to be defined by what they almost achieved.
“The last push”. Tonight is everything
Rogers’ closing message ahead of tonight’s final was direct and entirely in keeping with everything else he said. “Now we go to the final step of the Europa League, where we need to make the last push.” Four words that capture three seasons of collective effort, sacrifice, and growth in one simple and perfectly framed instruction.
“My desire has always been there”. Character above all
Throughout the interview, one theme ran consistently beneath every specific observation. Regardless of the form dip, the transfer speculation, and the physical demands of a gruelling season, Rogers’ commitment to Villa has never wavered. “I take pride in being always available for the team, doing my best to impact the game with my play. My desire to fight and give all of myself for the team has always been there.” That statement: simple, honest, and entirely believable, is the foundation everything else is built on.
“The stick he gets is ridiculous”. Rogers defends Watkins
Some of the interview’s most compelling and revealing words concerned Rogers’ passionate defence of his strike partner. Ollie Watkins has scored ten goals in his last eleven appearances, including two against Liverpool on Friday and recently became the first Villa player since the 1960s to reach 100 goals in all competitions for the club. Yet Rogers has watched criticism of the 30-year-old during leaner scoring spells with visible frustration.
“Are we really surprised?” Rogers stated. “Some of the stick and the lack of trust people have in Ollie when he goes through his spells of not scoring is ridiculous, in the sense that he has done it year after year after year. Some of the records I have seen him break in terms of scoring over the last three, four, five seasons: he is up there with the best.”
His tribute extended well beyond goals capturing the complete picture of what Watkins contributes to Villa’s collective performance. “He is one of the best, for a reason. Of course he is not always going to be perfect like anyone. But when you need him, when you need goals, when you need big performances, he always stands up and delivers for the group. It is not just the goals, it is everything else he does for the team. He puts his body on the line. He has a real massive cut on his head at the moment but he gives his all, all of the time. That’s all you can ask for. He is a great person, a great guy, a great player.”
That specific reference to Watkins’ bandaged head, the injury sustained in the Forest second leg, is the most vivid illustration of the character Rogers is describing. A striker who plays through a serious head wound in a European semi-final because his team needs him. That is exactly what Rogers means by “he always stands up.”
ReadAstonVilla Verdict
Rogers’ interview is everything a pre-final media appearance should be. Honest about himself. Passionate about his teammates. Hungry for the prize. The anger from PSG. The pride in Watkins. The desire that has never dimmed. Tonight in Istanbul is the perfect stage to deliver on every single word. The last push. Both of them, Rogers and Watkins, must make it count.
