Just 60 days in the past that the Villa attacker was standing on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered while his coach berated him for missing a pass in behind. During that period, with the team failed to win in six, doubts remained if his performances were a symptom or a cause of Villa's broader struggles.
“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”
This weekend, in contrast, the touchline reaction was decidedly more positive. When the in-form star drilled in his brace-sealing goal to reclaim Villa's lead, the Spanish tactician tore off his winter coat, opened his arms and shouted in triumph. The Birmingham club marched on to a 10th successive win , despite not winning any of their first six games, find themselves only three points adrift of the leaders Arsenal.
Is This Team Genuine Challengers?
That’s a rather hard query to address. The historical record, the traditional standing of Villa, indicates otherwise. Moreover, their performances haven't been wholly dominant during this run, despite the fact the victories have piled up.
Per Opta, in only two games has the side registered an xG more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a club that have strung together 10 in a row, Villa seem strangely fragile – yet currently the margins are swinging for them.
The Winning Formula
Their recent policy looks like to trade blows with the opposition and then rely on their star man to rescue them with some crisp finishes. This occurred against Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and once more against United.
The initial strike came from a superb shot, curled right inside the post from a wide position. His brace-completing goal proved to be a slightly less clean iteration 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 managed more efforts and more efforts on goal. Villa have won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in all but one of those fixtures.
Regression to the mean could be the greatest opponent Villa have to face in the near future. The forward, almost certainly, cannot maintain thrashing his shots past despairing goalkeepers week in, week out.
A Case for Belief
Perhaps there is a different scenario whereby, instead of results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs might still find their top level.
- Ollie Watkins could start finding the net regularly.
- Jadon Sancho may rediscover the player he showed during his peak.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are set to regain fitness, fortifying a periodically leaky defensive unit.
This could contain the seeds of a genuine bid, however, it is improbable cannot keep relying on Morgan Rogers.
Enjoying the Ride
But then, this was unforeseen. Nobody thought the team would be in a Champions League place in December. And certainly earlier this season, few could imagine the young forward as the year closed would be spearheading a title charge while establishing himself as a vital Three Lions star.
This remarkable period should be enjoyed exactly since it seems so surreal. As the match-winner positioned himself before the home supporters when the game ended conducting the cheers, he seemed to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. These spells do not happen often and must be appreciated.
