A mere 60 days in the past when the young forward stood on the Sunderland turf, looking confused while the Villa manager berated him for not reading a through-ball. At that point, as Villa endured a six-game winless run, it wasn't clear if his performances were a symptom or the source of Villa's broader struggles.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
In the latest match, though, the manager's outburst proved to be much more joyous. After Rogers curled home his second strike to restore Villa's lead, Emery ripped off his coat, spread his arms and shouted in triumph. Villa were on their way to a 10th successive win , having failed to win their initial half-dozen fixtures, are somehow only three points off pace-setters Arsenal.
Is This Team Serious Title Contenders?
This is an exceptionally difficult question to resolve. Past precedent, the traditional standing of Villa, argues against it. Furthermore, they have not been wholly dominant in many games, even as the positive results have piled up.
According to the data, in only two games has the team had an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a club that have strung together 10 in a row, Villa look weirdly vulnerable – but currently the fine lines are going in their favour.
The Rogers Recipe
Their recent policy appears to be to engage in a shootout with the opposition before hoping their star man to bail them out with two crisp finishes. This was the case against Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and it happened when facing the Red Devils.
Rogers' first goal originated from an exquisite effort, bent just inside the post from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of the opener capitalizing on a pass from Watkins.
“Rogers’ right foot is now akin to Robben’s legendary left: forewarned does not mean forearmed, and stopping him is another matter entirely.”
How Long Can This Continue?
Logic says not. In the recent win, Manchester United had a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. Villa have won each of their last eight by a single goal. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those fixtures.
A reversion to average could be the greatest opponent Villa must confront over the coming weeks. Rogers, almost certainly, will not continue to thrashing the football into the top corner indefinitely.
Potential for Growth
Perhaps there is another reality whereby, rather than results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs might still find their top level.
- Ollie Watkins might resume finding the net regularly.
- The attacking talent may rediscover the force he resembled during his peak.
- The injured centre-backs are set to come back from the treatment room, bolstering a sometimes shaky backline.
This could contain the seeds for a sustained push, however, it is improbable can persist in leaning entirely on Morgan Rogers.
Savoring the Moment
But then, nobody expected this. It seemed improbable the team would occupy in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely earlier this season, no one envisioned the midfielder as the year closed would be at the forefront of a title charge and appearing as an essential player for the national team.
This remarkable period must be cherished precisely because it appears so improbable. As the hero positioned himself before the Villa faithful after the match conducting the cheers, he seemed to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. These spells are uncommon in the sport and ought to be celebrated.