It was 60 days ago when the Villa attacker found himself on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered as the Villa manager scolded him over failing to anticipate a through-ball. At that point, as the club endured a six-game winless run, doubts remained if his displays were a symptom or the source for Villa's wider issues.
“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”
On Sunday, in contrast, the manager's outburst proved to be far more favourable. After the in-form star curled home his second strike to reinstate Villa's lead, the boss tore off his coat, spread his arms and roared. The Birmingham club were on their way to a tenth straight victory , despite not winning their opening six fixtures, find themselves only three points behind the leaders Arsenal.
Are They Genuine Challengers?
That’s a rather hard query to resolve. The historical record, the traditional standing of this institution, indicates otherwise. Moreover, they have not been completely commanding during this run, while the wins have stacked up.
Per the data, on just two occasions has the team registered an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a club that have put together ten consecutive victories, Villa look weirdly vulnerable – however right now the margins are going in their favour.
The Rogers Recipe
Their recent policy appears to be to engage in a shootout with rivals and then rely on their star man to save the day with some precise efforts. This occurred at Leeds, it occurred in London, and it happened against the Red Devils.
The initial strike originated from a brilliant finish, curled precisely inside the post from the edge of the area. For his second was essentially a somewhat messier replica 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.”
Is It Sustainable?
Logic says not. In the recent win, the opposition had more shots and more direct attempts. The team has secured their last eight victories by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those matches.
A statistical correction could be the greatest opponent they have to face in the near future. Their key man, surely, will not continue to thrashing the football into the net's top corner forever.
Reasons for Optimism
Maybe there exists another reality in which, instead of results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures might still find their top level.
- Ollie Watkins may begin to scoring again.
- The attacking talent might become the performer he resembled during his peak.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will eventually return from injury, bolstering a sometimes shaky defence.
Perhaps there is in that the seeds of a genuine bid, however, it is improbable can persist in leaning entirely on Morgan Rogers.
Savoring the Moment
However, this is a surprise. Few believed Villa would be third at Christmas. And certainly back in October, no one envisioned Rogers by the end of the year would be leading a championship pursuit while establishing himself as an essential player for the national team.
This remarkable period must be cherished for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. As the hero faced the Villa faithful when the game ended orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. These runs of form are rare in football and must be appreciated.
