A mere 60 days prior when the Villa attacker found himself on the pitch at Sunderland, seeming perplexed as his coach admonished him for not reading a through-ball. At that point, with the team went six without a win, the question was whether his performances were a sign or a cause of 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 touchline reaction was much more joyous. After the England international curled home his brace-sealing goal to reclaim his side's advantage, the boss ripped off his winter coat, spread his arms and bellowed. Villa marched on to ten wins in a row and having failed to win any of their first six fixtures, now sit just three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.
Is This Team Serious Hopefuls?
That’s a rather hard proposition to answer. The historical record, the traditional standing of the club, argues against it. Moreover, they've rarely been entirely convincing in many games, while the victories have stacked up.
According to Opta, twice all season have Villa had an xG more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a side which has put together ten consecutive victories, the Villans seem strangely fragile – however at the moment the tight outcomes are swinging for them.
The Reliant Strategy
The current approach appears to be to engage in a shootout with the opposition and wait for their star man to rescue them with two precise efforts. This was the case at Leeds, it transpired at West Ham, and again versus United.
His opener stemmed from a brilliant finish, arced right inside the post from a wide position. For his second proved to be a slight scruffier version of goal number one capitalizing on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.
“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.”
Is It Sustainable?
Common sense dictates no. Against United, Manchester United registered more efforts and more direct attempts. Villa have won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in all but one of those games.
A statistical correction could be the most significant challenge Villa must confront as the season progresses. Rogers, in all likelihood, cannot keep on blasting his shots past despairing goalkeepers forever.
Potential for Growth
Could it be an alternative path whereby, instead of luck running out, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Key players might still find their top level.
- Ollie Watkins might resume adding to his goal tally.
- The winger might become the force he showed in Germany.
- The injured centre-backs are set to regain fitness, fortifying a periodically leaky defensive unit.
Maybe within that lies the potential of a genuine bid, however, it is improbable cannot keep relying on Morgan Rogers.
Relishing the Unlikely
However, this was unforeseen. Nobody thought the team would occupy in the top three for the holidays. And certainly back in October, few could imagine Rogers by the end of the year would be spearheading a championship pursuit and appearing as a crucial Three Lions star.
The current run must be cherished exactly since it appears so improbable. As Rogers stood in front of the home supporters when the game ended orchestrating the applause, it was clear to be loving the experience. A feeling he has rightly earned. Such periods do not happen often and must be appreciated.
