It was eight weeks ago that the young forward stood on the Sunderland turf, seeming perplexed as his coach scolded him over not reading a penetrating pass. At that point, as Villa went six without a win, the question was whether his displays were a symptom or a cause for the side's wider issues.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
On Sunday, in contrast, the touchline reaction proved to be far more favourable. As the in-form star drilled in his second strike to reclaim the lead for Villa, the Spanish tactician discarded his coat, threw his arms wide and bellowed. Villa were on their way to ten wins in a row , after failing to win their initial half-dozen fixtures, find themselves just three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.
Are They Serious Hopefuls?
It remains a rather hard query to resolve. History, the traditional standing of this institution, suggests not. Additionally, their performances haven't been wholly dominant during this run, despite the fact the wins have stacked up.
According to Opta, in only two games have Villa registered an xG significantly higher than the opposition. For a club that have just won ten consecutive victories, they look weirdly vulnerable – yet right now the tight outcomes are swinging for them.
The Reliant Strategy
Their recent policy seems to be to trade blows with the opposition and wait for their star man to bail them out with a couple of crisp finishes. This was the case against Leeds, it happened in London, and again versus United.
Rogers' first goal came from a superb shot, arced right inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. For his second proved to be a slight scruffier version of the opener 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.”
How Long Can This Continue?
Logic says not. In the recent win, the opponents registered a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. They have triumphed in eight consecutive games by just one goal. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those games.
A reversion to average could be the greatest opponent they have to face in the near future. Rogers, in all likelihood, cannot maintain drilling the football past despairing goalkeepers forever.
A Case for Belief
Perhaps there is another reality where, rather than results trending towards performances, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Vital cogs might still find their top level.
- Ollie Watkins might resume finding the net regularly.
- The attacking talent might become the performer he showed at Borussia Dortmund.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to regain fitness, bolstering a periodically leaky defence.
Maybe within that lies the possibility of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.
Relishing the Unlikely
However, nobody expected this. Few believed the team would be in the top three for the holidays. And certainly earlier this season, few could imagine the midfielder now would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title while looking like a crucial England player.
This remarkable period must be cherished exactly since it appears so improbable. As the hero stood in front of the North End at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. Such periods do not happen often and should be relished.
