Morgan Rogers signing would create necessary tactical shift for Arsenal

He couldn't inspire England to the World Cup final, despite crafting the Three Lions' lone goal against Argentina with some deft technique, but Morgan Rogers remains the kind of transfer Arsenal need to create a necessary tactical shift in attack.

Trying to pry Rogers from Aston Villa won't be cheap, but the versatile advanced midfielder's worth to Mikel Arteta's rather predictable forward line is immeasurable. It's why the Gunners' efforts to secure Rogers' signing are "set to accelerate once his participation at the World Cup with England is over," according to BBC Sport's Sami Mokbel.

Rogers' latest efforts for England inadvertently showed why Arsenal need him. Even though his fit on the right wing against Lionel Messi and Co. was less than snug.

Arsenal need options maker Rogers

England boss Thomas Tuchel erred when he had Rogers hug the touchline against La Albiceleste, but the 23-year-old is talented enough to make a tactical misstep look inspired. Just as Rogers did when he teed up Anthony Gordon for a tap-in thanks to a perfectly shaped and placed cross.

Gordon is another flexible forward who would have improved Arsenal's attack in multiple ways, had Barcelona not gotten in first. Arteta and sporting director Andrea Berta don't want to risk sitting back and watching Rogers elude them. Not when his whole playing style is defined by creating options in the final third.

The former Manchester City academy graduate makes things happen because he's a credible threat playing anywhere up top. That includes both flanks, and Rogers looks best suited to slot in on the left for Arsenal, a position vacated by last season's title-winning clutch hero Leandro Trossard joining Beşiktaş.

Arsenal have the option of going like-for-like. A strategy seemingly behind the pursuit of Club Brugge left winger Christos Tzolis.

Swapping one winger for another would mean more of the same from Arteta's team at the top end of the pitch. Maintaining the status quo wouldn't open up as many exciting new possibilities as Rogers' running power, deft touches and eye for a pass.

Rogers can be the chameleon missing from Arsenal's attack

Spending big to land Rogers would be more than the statement signing previous Arsenal title winners never made. It would also be a way to solve multiple potential problems in attacking areas with just one move.

Slotting Rogers on the left would replace Trossard, but it would also mix things up by creating a contrast from what Bukayo Saka offers on the other side. Saka can twist, turn and hold the width, but Rogers would be an inverted wide player. Think a beefed-up Robert Pires.

Why's that important? Because the Gunners need creative support for too-often isolated central schemer Martin Ødegaard. The Norwegian playmaker is an outlier in the attack Arteta has built the same way he's built the other areas of this Arsenal team. Namely, on a platform of muscle and energy, with flair and technique often nothing more than bonuses.

Ødegaard proved the timeless value of those more cerebral and artful qualities with his masterful creative cameo to inspire the pivotal 1-0 win away at West Ham in last season's title race. His classy contributions on that day not only unlocked a stubborn rearguard, they also underlined a reliance on Ødegaard, who needs help, not offloading onto the transfer market.

Help was supposed to be provided by Eberechi Eze, but aside from a couple of thrilling goal rushes to overwhelm Spurs, the ex-Crystal Palace man wilted under the creative burden more than once.

Eze can improve and is already a natural fit for that left-sided No. 10 hybrid role Arteta should be envisaging for Rogers. The latter is simply a more complete attacking force, one who can be unleashed centrally, off the wings or from just behind the striker.

Adding Rogers to a collective headlined by Ødegaard and Saka, but also featuring Eze and teenage prodigy Max Dowman, would make Arsenal more fluid going forward. Versatile players rotating positions on the move would be more difficult to track than a team still content to make the pitch as wide as possible, have Declan Rice break from deep, go direct and play for set-pieces.

Arteta's team will need something different to keep the chasing pack at bay in the next title race, and acquiring Rogers' mercurial mix of talents is a statement-making way to freshen things up.

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