The Athletic FC Podcast
Episode: How Morgan Rogers is driving Villa's unlikely title charge
Host: Ayo Akimolere
Guests: Adam Crafton, Jack Pitt-Brooke
Date: December 22, 2025
Episode Overview
This episode explores Aston Villa’s remarkable Premier League run, focusing on Morgan Rogers’ emergence as both Villa's star and a key England prospect. The discussion also breaks down issues at struggling clubs (notably Wolves), and reviews controversies and narratives from a dramatic weekend of football. The hosts finish with holiday wishes and hopes for the coming football year.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Morgan Rogers: The Engine Behind Villa’s Surge
[02:03-08:36]
- Rogers’ Impact: Morgan Rogers’ two goals secured a 2-1 win over Manchester United, marking Villa’s 10th consecutive victory.
- Adam Crafton: “He was amazing, but he was like Villa's only kind of good player on the day…incredibly convinced by this one individual who scored two fantastic goals.” [03:19]
- England Prospects: Debated as a real contender for England’s number ten role, even over names like Foden, Bellingham, Palmer, and Eze.
- Jack Pitt-Brooke: “Rogers is kind of the man in possession...he has to be part of that conversation.” [04:21]
- On England selections:
- Jack: “For me, Palmer is the one I wouldn’t take if I was only out of those five…he hasn't been that well integrated into Thomas Tuchel's team.” [05:49]
- Adam: “Probably Palmer and Rogers” as starters, leaving out Bellingham. [05:39]
- Career Trajectory:
- Rogers came from Middlesbrough (Championship), previously at Man City.
- Adam: “It's incredible to think the players that have kind of gone through Man City's youth system…Foden, Palmer, Rodgers…” [06:52]
- He gets “a lot of freedom within this Emery team because it's a very kind of workmanlike team…Rogers is kind of the special one.” [07:38]
2. Aston Villa – Title Contenders or Europa League Glory?
[10:12-16:48]
- League Standing & Reality: Villa are only three points behind Arsenal but skepticism remains about their title credentials.
- Jack: “I’m not expecting them to be right up there with Manchester City and Arsenal at the very end...their depth will probably tell.” [10:22]
- Adam: Emphasizes importance of Champions League qualification over a trophy run: “I think it would be really good for Villa as a club this season to finish third or fourth more than it would be to win the Europa League, personally.” [11:23]
- Squad Limitations:
- Adam: “They do have a…pretty lean squad beyond the kind of first 14, 15 and particularly in the attacking positions...they don't score many goals.” [11:23]
- Fan Dilemma – Trophy or Top Four?
- Ayo: “Villa's last trophy was in 1996…that's a long time to wait. You try saying, okay, you're not going to get a European trophy this season. You just get top four.” [14:17]
- Jack: “It makes sense to go all out for that trophy, because the fans will remember that more than they'll remember coming fifth.” [14:35]
- Adam: “Combining the buzz of Champions League qualification with the financial imperative…they could do both.” [15:20]
Notable Quote:
Jack Pitt-Brooke: “Winning a league phase game in the Champions League, even against a good team, is remotely comparable to the experience of winning a trophy.” [15:14]
3. Wolves’ Plight: On the Brink of Historic Failure
[18:56-26:48]
- Record-Breaking Bad Start: Wolves are at just 2 points from 17 games, worst ever start in top four English divisions’ history.
- Why Wolves Are Failing:
- Adam: “You can't keep selling your best players and presuming…your super agent will unearth a diamond that is as good.” [19:50]
- Lament for constant sales: Kunya, Neto, Ait Nouri, Nunes, Jimenez—all gone.
- Jack: “They managed to save themselves last year by going out and getting a top manager. And then when even a top manager can't get anything out of these players because the players aren't good enough, then…you don't really have any more levers to pull.” [21:37]
- Future Prospects:
- Adam: “If I was a Wolves fan, I don't think I would have the confidence that they are [sufficiently structured to cope]…they already look like a championship team.” [23:07]
- Jack: “Their points per game at the moment is 0.117…maps out to 4.47 points over 38 games…which is…less than half of what Derby County got.” [25:23]
- Fan Experience: Toxic atmosphere, fans protesting, early leavers.
Notable Quote:
Jack Pitt-Brooke: “They're going to have to take a lot more pain and get a lot of things right before they can even start to move back in the other direction.” [26:48]
4. Dramatic Match at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
[29:24-36:00]
- Spurs v Liverpool Recap: Spurs lose again at home, ending with nine men; chaotic, scrappy match.
- Assessing Tottenham’s Performance:
- Jack: “I'm not gonna say they played well…but they did at least stick together and compete and fight till the end…” [29:59]
- “By the end, there was at least a bit of action going on.” [31:06]
- VAR & Red Card Controversy:
- Xavi Simmons sent off—a “VAR red card.”
- Jack: “VAR has effectively changed the laws of the game…laws were not written to withstand the kind of technological scrutiny…” [32:13]
- Liverpool’s Recent Form & Isak’s Injury:
- Alexander Isak likely out for season; “is he the most cursed record signing ever?”
- Adam: “He’s had injuries …but this is a horrible one because he’s just started to score a couple of goals.” [33:31]
- Jack: On Liverpool: “They don’t seem to have that same sort of confidence and conviction that you would expect from a team which is so good—or at least was so good so recently.” [35:23]
5. England Striker Options & Leeds’ Revitalization
[36:00-40:14]
- Striker Watch: Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds) is in red-hot form and enters the England striker debate.
- Jack: “If he continues this current form, he might be part of that conversation along with Tony, Welbeck, Solanke and so on.” [36:16]
- Adam: “They've given themselves a real shot…I just think they need in January to add that little bit up front still.” [37:48]
- Need for more creative attacking support and goals from open play.
6. Festive Football Wishes
[40:14-41:33]
- Ayo asks for the panel’s footballing wishes for 2026:
- Jack: “A proper title race...where the lead repeatedly changes hands. That's what I think the Premier League needs.” [40:31]
- Adam: “A last day where you have the title, Champions League qualification and relegation, all undecided.” [40:51]
- Adam: Also wishes for at least 2 promoted teams (Leeds, Sunderland) to survive and thrive.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- Adam Crafton [03:19]: “You kind of came away less convinced by Villa in some ways, but incredibly convinced by this one individual who scored two fantastic goals [Rogers].”
- Jack Pitt-Brooke [04:21]: “Rogers is kind of the man in possession...he has to be part of that conversation [for England].”
- Jack Pitt-Brooke [14:35]: “The fans will remember [a trophy] more than they'll remember coming fifth.”
- Adam Crafton [23:07]: “They already look like a championship team. And then if you take three or four players out…there really isn't much else there, so I'd worry about them quite a lot.”
- Jack Pitt-Brooke [25:23]: “Their points per game at the moment is 0.117 which…is less than half of what Derby County got.”
- Jack Pitt-Brooke [32:13]: “VAR has effectively changed the laws of the game.”
- Adam Crafton [33:31]: “This is a player who’s had injuries… but this is a horrible one because he’s just started to score a couple of goals.”
- Jack Pitt-Brooke [40:31]: “A proper title race...where the lead repeatedly changes hands...That's what I think the Premier League needs.”
- Adam Crafton [40:51]: “A last day where you have the title, Champions League qualification and relegation, all undecided.”
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Morgan Rogers & Villa’s win: [02:03–08:36]
- Villa: Title charge vs. Europa League: [10:12–16:48]
- Wolves’ historic struggles: [18:56–26:48]
- Tottenham vs. Liverpool, Spurs’ struggle, VAR debate: [29:24–36:00]
- England striker options & Leeds’ rise: [36:00–40:14]
- Panel's Football Wishes for 2026: [40:14–41:33]
Tone and Style
The style is conversational, analytical, and at times humorous, with constructive disagreement and in-depth tactical and club-level insight. The hosts bring in broader context—financial, historical, and fan-focused—while maintaining a warm, festive tone suited to the holiday episode.
For listeners and those catching up, this episode is a sharp, insightful look at the stories driving English football as 2025 ends: can Aston Villa (and Morgan Rogers) sustain their momentum, and just how bad can things get for Wolves? All weighed with wit, stats, and plenty of festive football banter.