A mere 60 days in the past when the young forward found himself on the Sunderland turf, seeming perplexed while his coach admonished him for not reading a penetrating pass. Back then, as the club went six without a win, doubts remained whether his performances were an indicator or the reason of Villa's more general malaise.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
In the latest match, though, the manager's outburst was entirely decidedly more positive. After Rogers drilled in his second strike to reinstate his side's advantage, Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. Villa marched on to ten wins in a row and despite not winning any of their first six fixtures, find themselves a mere three points off pace-setters Arsenal.
Is This Team Serious Hopefuls?
This is an exceptionally difficult proposition to address. Past precedent, a general sense of Villa, argues against it. Additionally, they have not been completely commanding in many games, despite the fact the positive results have accumulated.
According to Opta, twice all season have Villa posted an xG notably superior than the opposition. For a side that have just won 10 in a row, the Villans seem strangely fragile – yet right now the margins are going in their favour.
The Rogers Recipe
The current approach appears to be to exchange chances with an opponent and wait for their star man to save the day with some clinical strikes. This occurred away to Leeds, it happened against West Ham, and once more against United.
The initial strike stemmed from a brilliant finish, arced right inside the goal frame from a wide position. The follow-up goal proved to be a somewhat messier replica of the opener as he pounced on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.
“Much like Robben with his left, Rogers’ right foot has become a known threat that remains brutally unstoppable, regardless of anticipation.”
Is It Sustainable?
Logic says not. Against United, the opponents had more efforts and more shots on target. The team has won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. They have allowed goals in all but one of those matches.
Regression to the mean could be the biggest rival they will encounter over the coming weeks. Rogers, in all likelihood, cannot maintain blasting the football past despairing goalkeepers forever.
A Case for Belief
Maybe there exists an alternative path in which, rather than luck running out, the level of play rises to match the results. Key players could still rediscover their best form.
- The centre-forward could start scoring again.
- The winger might become the player he was during his peak.
- The defensive duo are due to come back from the treatment room, fortifying a sometimes shaky defensive unit.
Maybe within that lies the possibility for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely cannot keep relying on Morgan Rogers.
Savoring the Moment
But then, this was unforeseen. Few believed Aston Villa would be in a Champions League place in December. And certainly two months ago, no one envisioned the young forward as the year closed would be leading a championship pursuit while looking like a crucial England player.
This winning streak should be enjoyed for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. As the hero positioned himself before the Villa faithful at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. These spells are uncommon in the sport and should be relished.
