A mere two months in the past when Morgan Rogers was standing on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered while his coach berated him over not reading a penetrating pass. At that point, as the club went six without a win, doubts remained whether his displays were a symptom 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.”
On Sunday, in contrast, the manager's outburst was entirely decidedly more positive. After the in-form star swept in his brace-sealing goal to restore the lead for Villa, the Spanish tactician ripped off his coat, spread his arms and roared. Villa marched on to a 10th successive win and after failing to win any of their first six fixtures, now sit a mere three points behind the leaders Arsenal.
Are They Serious Hopefuls?
That’s an exceptionally difficult query to address. History, the perceived status of this institution, argues against it. Furthermore, their performances haven't been wholly dominant during this run, despite the fact the positive results have piled up.
Per statistical analysis, twice all season have Villa had an expected goals figure notably superior than the opposition. For a team that have put together a ten-match winning streak, Villa appear strangely fragile – however currently the tight outcomes are going in their favour.
The Winning Formula
Their recent policy seems 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 crisp finishes. This was the case at Leeds, it transpired in London, and once more against Manchester United.
Rogers' first goal stemmed from a brilliant finish, arced just inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. For his second was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of his first 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.”
How Long Can This Continue?
Logic says not. In the recent win, Manchester United registered more efforts and more direct attempts. Villa have triumphed in eight consecutive games by just one goal. The defence has been breached in all but one of those fixtures.
A reversion to average might be the greatest opponent Villa have to face as the season progresses. The forward, surely, will not continue to blasting the ball into the net's top corner forever.
Potential for Growth
Maybe there exists a different scenario whereby, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Important figures could still return to peak condition.
- The main striker might resume adding to his goal tally.
- The winger might become the force he showed in Germany.
- The defensive duo will eventually come back from the treatment room, strengthening a sometimes shaky backline.
Perhaps there is in that the seeds for a sustained push, however, it is improbable can persist in leaning entirely on Morgan Rogers.
Relishing the Unlikely
But then, this is a surprise. Few believed Aston Villa would sit third at Christmas. And most definitely back in October, few could imagine the midfielder by the end of the year would be leading a title charge while establishing himself as a crucial Three Lions star.
This remarkable period is to be savoured exactly since it feels so unlikely. When the match-winner faced the North End at the final whistle leading the celebrations, he seemed to be loving the experience. A feeling he has rightly earned. These spells are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.
