A mere two months in the past when the Villa attacker found himself on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered as Unai Emery admonished him for not reading a through-ball. During that period, as Villa failed to win in six, doubts remained whether his performances were an indicator or the source for the team's wider issues.
“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”
On Sunday, however, the manager's outburst was decidedly more positive. When Rogers curled home his brace-sealing goal to restore his side's advantage, the Spanish tactician tore off his jacket, threw his arms wide and bellowed. Villa were on their way to a 10th successive win and despite not winning their opening six fixtures, now sit only three points adrift of pace-setters Arsenal.
Are They Legitimate Title Contenders?
This is an exceptionally difficult proposition to address. History, the traditional standing of this institution, suggests not. Additionally, their performances haven't been entirely convincing during this run, despite the fact the positive results have accumulated.
According to statistical analysis, twice all season has the team registered an expected goals figure significantly higher than the opposition. For a club that have just won a ten-match winning streak, the Villans look weirdly vulnerable – however currently the margins are going in their favour.
The Rogers Recipe
The current approach looks like to engage in a shootout with the opposition before hoping their star man to save the day with a couple of clinical strikes. It happened away to Leeds, it transpired in London, and once more versus Manchester United.
The initial strike came from a superb shot, curled just inside the post from the corner of the box. The follow-up goal was essentially a somewhat messier replica of the opener 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.”
How Long Can This Continue?
Reason suggests otherwise. In the recent win, the opponents registered more shots and more direct attempts. They have won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in all but one of those games.
Regression to the mean might be the most significant challenge the club have to face in the near future. Rogers, in all likelihood, will not continue to drilling his shots into the net's top corner forever.
Reasons for Optimism
Maybe there exists another reality where, instead of results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures could still return to peak condition.
- Ollie Watkins may begin to finding the net regularly.
- The attacking talent might become the force he showed in Germany.
- The defensive duo are set to come back from the treatment room, strengthening a sometimes shaky defensive unit.
Maybe within that lies the possibility for a sustained push, but they surely can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.
Enjoying the Ride
But then, this is a surprise. It seemed improbable Villa would occupy in the top three for the holidays. And certainly back in October, no one envisioned the young forward by the end of the year would be leading a championship pursuit while establishing himself as an essential England player.
The current run must be cherished exactly since it seems so surreal. When Rogers stood in front of the home supporters when the game ended leading the celebrations, he appeared to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. Such periods are uncommon in the sport and should be relished.
