It was 60 days in the past that the Villa attacker found himself on the Sunderland turf, looking confused while his coach scolded him for failing to anticipate a through-ball. At that point, as Villa went six without a win, the question was if Rogers' form were a symptom or the source of the side'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, in contrast, the manager's outburst was entirely much more joyous. When Rogers drilled in his second strike to restore Villa's lead, the boss ripped off his winter coat, spread his arms and shouted in triumph. Villa were on their way to a tenth straight victory , despite not winning their initial half-dozen matches, find themselves just three points behind the leaders Arsenal.
Is This Team Genuine Title Contenders?
It remains a rather hard query to answer. The historical record, the traditional standing of Villa, suggests not. Additionally, they've rarely been entirely convincing this season, even as the positive results have stacked up.
Per statistical analysis, twice all season have Villa had an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than the other team. For a club who have put together ten consecutive victories, the Villans seem curiously susceptible – but right now the tight outcomes are going in their favour.
The Rogers Recipe
The prevailing tactic appears to be to engage in a shootout with the opposition and then rely on their star man to save the day with a couple of precise efforts. This occurred at Leeds, it occurred against West Ham, and again when facing United.
His opener stemmed from an exquisite effort, bent just inside the goal frame from the corner of the box. His brace-completing goal was essentially a somewhat messier replica of goal number one as he seized on a pass from Watkins.
“Perhaps Rogers’ right foot is becoming like Arjen Robben’s left: just because you know he’s going to whip the ball into the top corner doesn’t mean you can stop him.”
Can It Last?
Reason suggests otherwise. In the recent win, the opponents managed a greater number of attempts and more shots on target. Villa have triumphed in eight consecutive games by a single goal. They’ve conceded in all except one of those games.
A reversion to average may well be the most significant challenge they must confront in the near future. Their key man, almost certainly, cannot maintain drilling the ball past despairing goalkeepers indefinitely.
Reasons for Optimism
Maybe there exists a different scenario whereby, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, the level of play rises to match the results. Key players might still return to peak condition.
- The centre-forward could start scoring again.
- Jadon Sancho may rediscover the player he resembled during his peak.
- The defensive duo are set to return from injury, fortifying a periodically leaky defensive unit.
This could contain the seeds for a sustained push, however, it is improbable cannot keep relying on Morgan Rogers.
Savoring the Moment
But then, nobody expected this. Few believed Aston Villa would sit in a Champions League place in December. And certainly two months ago, few could imagine the young forward as the year closed would be leading a championship pursuit and appearing as a vital player for the national team.
The current run is to be savoured precisely because it seems so surreal. When the hero faced the Villa faithful at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, it was clear to be loving the experience. A feeling he has rightly earned. These spells are uncommon in the sport and ought to be celebrated.
