It was two months in the past when the young forward stood on the pitch at Sunderland, looking confused as the Villa manager berated him over failing to anticipate a through-ball. During that period, as Villa went six without a win, the question was whether his displays were an indicator or a cause for the team's broader struggles.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
On Sunday, however, the touchline reaction was entirely far more favourable. As the in-form star drilled in his second strike to reclaim Villa's lead, Emery ripped off his winter coat, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. The team marched on to ten wins in a row and after failing to win any of their first six matches, now sit just three points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Legitimate Hopefuls?
That’s an exceptionally difficult proposition to answer. Past precedent, the traditional standing of the club, indicates otherwise. Additionally, their performances haven't been entirely convincing this season, while the wins have piled up.
As per the data, in only two games has the team registered an xG significantly higher than the opposition. For a club that have just won ten consecutive victories, they seem curiously susceptible – however currently the fine lines are falling their way.
The Winning Formula
The prevailing tactic appears to be to trade blows with rivals and then rely on Rogers to save the day with a couple of precise efforts. This was the case at Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and once more when facing the Red Devils.
His opener stemmed from an exquisite effort, curled precisely inside the post from the corner of the box. For his second proved to be a somewhat messier replica of his first capitalizing on a setup by his strike partner.
“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. During the latest victory, the opponents registered a greater number of attempts and more efforts on goal. Villa have triumphed in eight consecutive games by just one goal. The defence has been breached in all except one of those fixtures.
A statistical correction could be the biggest rival Villa have to face as the season progresses. Rogers, almost certainly, cannot maintain thrashing the football into the net's top corner indefinitely.
A Case for Belief
Maybe there exists a different scenario in which, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, the level of play rises to match the results. Important figures could still find their top level.
- The main striker might resume scoring again.
- The attacking talent might become the player he was during his peak.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are set to regain fitness, bolstering a periodically leaky backline.
Perhaps there is in that the potential of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.
Relishing the Unlikely
However, this was unforeseen. It seemed improbable the team would be third at Christmas. And without a doubt back in October, no one envisioned Rogers by the end of the year would be leading a championship pursuit while looking like a crucial England player.
This remarkable period must be cherished exactly since it seems so surreal. As the hero stood in front of the North End when the game ended leading the celebrations, he appeared to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. These spells are uncommon in the sport and ought to be celebrated.
