Our next Gameweek 12 Scout Notes come from Elland Road, where Morgan Rogers (£6.8m) scored a brace as Aston Villa came from behind to beat Leeds United.
ROGERS’ TARGET THREAT
Aston Villa climbed to fourth place in the standings on Sunday after winning six of their last seven Premier League matches.
Rogers has achieved five attacking results in that period, and he certainly stole the show at Elland Road, with his brace and subsequent 15-point haul his best ever Fantasy return.
His first goal, a neat finish in the six-yard box, was followed fifteen minutes before the end by a beautiful free kick.
“The manager always challenges me to get into the penalty area. That’s where the goals are scored. Sometimes I hesitate to go in. I went in and just reacted to the ball. I was lucky to get a toe on it. I was very happy with that.” – Morgan Rogers
Discussing his overall impact, Unai Emery later said:
“Through numbers, his work today is more brilliant and really relevant. His impact was positive with goals. He always plays well. He does his job and is versatile in different positions. Maybe today he showed that he is angry to score. Because he was angry, he scored two goals, focusing on how to get numbers. He did it, helped the team and for our victory today.”
“He is a player who can get numbers. Last year he got double figures for goals and assists. This year I think he will get that again. He played fantastic before this game, he didn’t get numbers but he helped the team. With those goals today it is more brilliant. I think Morgan is very important when he scores and when he doesn’t score. He works tactically, is versatile and performs very consistently.” – Unai Emery on Morgan Rogers, via the Birmingham email
GRIND IMPACT/WATKINS POOR
With Leeds dominant in the first half (more on that later), Emery made a double substitution at half-time, with Ian Maatsen (£4.2 million) and Donyell Malen (£5.1m) replaced Lucas Digne (£4.5 million) and Emiliano Buendia (£5.3 million).
And the changes paid immediate dividends, with Rogers tapping Malen’s low cross into the back of the net.
Malen was an excellent outlet on the right for Villa and caused plenty of problems for Leeds, something Daniel Farke referred to in his post-match presser.
“We gave away very little today, but in the two decisive moments we were also unlucky with some decisions, but for both goals we could have done better with our left side.
“We are conceding a few too many from our left side and this cannot happen. So in the 47th minute we are not tired. It was a dead ball situation. We should have organized ourselves better instead of being overplayed and allowing a cutback situation.” -Daniel Wake
As for Ollie Watkins (£8.5m) he had a few chances, with a curling effort drifting just wide of the post in the first half, but this was another match where he did not look sharp enough.
He was replaced after 67 minutes and has scored one league goal this season.
Elsewhere, Youri Tielemans (£5.9m) made his first start since returning from injury as a substitute Amadou Onana (£4.8m), who suffered a blow while on international duty with Belgium.
WHY STACH WAS Abolished
Anton Stach (£4.8m) limped off the pitch after 23 minutes on Sunday, having previously provided the assist for Lucas done‘s (£5.0m) early opener.
However, it turned out to be a concussion after he defiantly injured himself Emiliano Martinez (£5.0 million) in the build-up to the goal.
The German will now undergo tests that are expected to clarify whether there is a concussion. An update from Farke is expected later this week.
Jack Harrison (£5.1 million), meanwhile, was left out of the selection entirely.
FIVE DEFEATS IN SIX FOR LEEDS
With five defeats in six games, a run in which Leeds conceded thirteen goals, the pressure on Farke is clearly increasing.
Unfortunately for him, they visit Manchester City on Saturday.
Here Farke made just one change to his starting XI, with Pascal Struijk (£4.4 million) for Jaka Bijol (£3.9m) at the back.
In an impressive first half, they didn’t give Villa another inch and took an early lead through Nmecha after an attempted ball struck the striker and rebounded. However, they were unable to maintain that intensity and pressure, having expended a serious amount of energy in the first 45 minutes.
As for Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£5.5 million), he was sent off after 70 minutes and thought he had the equalizer, but replays showed the ball had clearly hit his hand before crossing the line.
Jayden Bogel (£4.5m) performed very well at right back Joe Rodon (£4.1m) earned Defensive Contribution Points (DefCon) for the second time in four games.
Like Rodon, Ethan Ampadu (£4.9m) got into DefCon, but picked up his fourth booking of the season.
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