Aston Villa secured a much-needed Europa League victory against Bologna on Thursday night, but the conversation quickly shifted from celebration to concern, as club legend Martin Keown made a rather strange plea to defender Ezri Konsa. Keown suggested Konsa should somehow prevent teammate Morgan Rogers from losing possession—something the young forward reportedly did nearly 30 times in the match. The comment raised eyebrows, but it also shed light on the growing pressure at Villa Park as the team searches for consistency amid a rocky start to the season.
Keown’s Unusual Request: “Stop Rogers Losing the Ball”
In a post-match interview that turned heads, Martin Keown called on Ezri Konsa to “become a leader” and guide players like Morgan Rogers, who endured a difficult night on the ball. Keown highlighted Rogers’ high turnover rate, claiming the forward lost possession “28 or 29 times”—a stat that, if accurate, underscores his current form dip.
Speaking directly to Konsa, Keown said:
“Is that the next step for you now to become a leader? To get these guys through, we look at Morgan Rogers tonight, I think he lost the ball 28 or 29 times. We’ve never really seen him do that before.”
The statement seemed to place responsibility on Konsa to somehow curb Rogers’ mistakes—a stretch, considering Konsa operates in central defense while Rogers plays further up the pitch.
Konsa Defends His Teammate: “He Keeps Trying”
In response, Konsa showed support for his struggling teammate. While acknowledging that Rogers hadn’t started the season as well as he might have hoped, Konsa emphasized his friend’s determination and resilience.
“Morgan is still young, I think a lot of people forget,” Konsa said. “He had a great season for us last year, but coming into this season, he hasn’t quite started the way he wanted to. But for me, he’s a good friend of mine, I try to encourage him as much as possible.”
Despite the ball losses, Konsa praised Rogers’ refusal to hide on the pitch:
“The good thing about him—he keeps trying. No matter how many times he loses it, he keeps going. For me, that’s really important.”
Emery Pleased with Grit, Thanks Supporters
Unai Emery, meanwhile, focused on the positives following the narrow 1–0 win, courtesy of a John McGinn goal. The Villa boss highlighted the importance of European competition as a platform to rebuild confidence and praised his players’ grit in what he described as a “difficult” match.
“I’m grateful for our supporters,” Emery told VillaTV. “We are starting again in Europe—three years in a row now in European competitions. It’s an opportunity to gain minutes, build confidence, and aim for trophies.”
Emery emphasized that while European nights are special, the Premier League remains the club’s main objective.
“The Premier League is the most important because it’s how we normally achieve our goals,” he said. “But European competitions are another route to success.”
He added that consistency and adaptability will be key as Villa tries to turn around a sluggish start to their domestic campaign. Currently sitting 18th in the Premier League table, the club’s European performances could be vital for momentum.
Despite the win, Villa’s night ended with more questions than answers, particularly about Morgan Rogers’ form and Keown’s puzzling expectations of Ezri Konsa. Still, with Emery expressing confidence in his squad’s fight and a European win under their belt, Villa fans will hope this marks a turning point—on and off the pitch.
