A mere two months prior that the young forward stood on the Sunderland turf, looking confused while the Villa manager scolded him over not reading a pass in behind. Back then, as the club endured a six-game winless run, it wasn't clear whether his performances were an indicator or the source of Villa's more general malaise.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
This weekend, though, the manager's outburst was entirely decidedly more positive. When the in-form star swept in his second strike to reclaim the lead for Villa, Emery discarded his winter coat, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. The team were on their way to a tenth straight victory , after failing to win their opening six fixtures, are somehow only three points off the leaders Arsenal.
Is This Team Legitimate Challengers?
It remains a rather hard question to answer. History, the perceived status of this institution, argues against it. Moreover, they have not been wholly dominant in many games, even as the wins have accumulated.
As per Opta, in only two games have Villa posted an expected goals figure notably superior than the opposition. For a club who have strung together 10 in a row, they look weirdly vulnerable – however currently the margins are falling their way.
The Rogers Recipe
Their recent policy seems to be to trade blows with the opposition and then rely on their star man to save the day with a couple of precise efforts. This occurred against Leeds, it occurred in London, and once more when facing United.
The initial strike stemmed from an exquisite effort, curled right inside the post from the corner of the box. His brace-completing goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of his first capitalizing on a setup by his strike partner.
“Much like Robben with his left, Rogers’ right foot has become a known threat that remains brutally unstoppable, regardless of anticipation.”
Can It Last?
Reason suggests otherwise. Against United, the opponents registered a greater number of attempts and more efforts on goal. Villa have won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in all except one of those fixtures.
A statistical correction could be the biggest rival Villa have to face in the near future. Rogers, in all likelihood, will not continue to drilling the ball into the top corner indefinitely.
Potential for Growth
Maybe there exists another reality in which, rather than results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs could still find their top level.
- The centre-forward might resume adding to his goal tally.
- Jadon Sancho might become the player he was in Germany.
- The injured centre-backs are due to come back from the treatment room, strengthening an occasionally vulnerable defence.
Maybe within that lies the seeds for a sustained push, however, it is improbable can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.
Enjoying the Ride
However, this was unforeseen. It seemed improbable the team would be in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely back in October, few could imagine Rogers by the end of the year would be leading a hunt for the title while looking like an essential Three Lions star.
This remarkable period should be enjoyed exactly since it appears so improbable. When the hero positioned himself before the home supporters when the game ended conducting the cheers, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. Which he fully merits. These runs of form are uncommon in the sport and ought to be celebrated.
