Morgan Rogers was quick to mention one of his closest friends, Cole Palmer, when he signed for Chelsea from Aston Villa. “We’ve been speaking about this for a while – that we would always love to play together,” said the £117m attacking midfielder. “He’s been non-stop ringing my phone, texting me, and I can’t wait.
That’s probably the most special thing, playing with one of your best friends and being around him every day. It’s something I’m really excited about.” Both men might be keen to play together… but can new Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso find the system to accommodate two such similar profiles? We take a closer look at Rogers’ skillset and assess how Alonso might set up his side this season.
It is difficult to clearly define Rogers by a fixed position. As with all players, getting the best from them means appreciating the wider role they are capable of. A player’s ideal role can also change depending on the players around them and the opposition’s set-up.
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery gave Rogers a major role in the side’s recent successes, something that contributed to his hefty transfer fee. Emery’s system is built upon defensive solidity, often in a 4-4-2 shape off the ball. Villa often spent long periods without the ball before attacking into large areas of space at pace.
This is a style of play that suits Rogers, who combines impressive ball-striking with standout athleticism. Last season, he generally played on the left of a 4-2-3-1, narrowing in from the wing and leaving the left-back to provide the width. From here he often opted to curl the ball into the far post with his stronger right foot, but could just as easily drag his shot inside the near post at the last moment.
Out of possession, Rogers usually defended as a left midfielder in Emery’s 4-4-2 but is capable of pressing in the front two alongside a traditional number nine. His positional versatility allows him to play as a narrow winger on both the left and right side of attack, before making runs akin to a centre-forward. He consistently injects pace into his team’s attack with his direct nature both with and without the ball.
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