Just eight weeks ago that the Villa attacker found himself on the Sunderland turf, seeming perplexed as the Villa manager admonished him for failing to anticipate a pass in behind. At that point, with the team went six without a win, doubts remained whether his displays were a sign or the reason for Villa's more general malaise.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
This weekend, in contrast, the touchline reaction was entirely far more favourable. As Rogers curled home his second strike to reinstate his side's advantage, Emery tore off his winter coat, opened his arms and roared. Villa continued to a tenth straight victory , despite not winning their opening six fixtures, now sit only three points behind the leaders Arsenal.
Is This Team Genuine Title Contenders?
This is a rather hard query to resolve. History, the traditional standing of the club, argues against it. Furthermore, their performances haven't been entirely convincing during this run, even as the wins have accumulated.
Per Opta, twice all season have Villa posted an xG more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a team that have just won ten consecutive victories, Villa seem weirdly vulnerable – but at the moment the tight outcomes are going in their favour.
The Rogers Recipe
The current approach appears to be to engage in a shootout with rivals and then rely on their star man to rescue them with a couple of precise efforts. This occurred away to Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and it happened when facing United.
His opener stemmed from an exquisite effort, curled precisely inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal proved to be a somewhat messier replica of the opener as he pounced 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. Against United, the opposition had a greater number of attempts and more efforts on goal. The team has won each of their last eight by just one goal. They’ve conceded in all but one of those fixtures.
Regression to the mean might be the biggest rival they have to face as the season progresses. The forward, almost certainly, cannot maintain thrashing the football into the top corner forever.
A Case for Belief
Maybe there exists an alternative path whereby, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures could still return to peak condition.
- Ollie Watkins may begin to adding to his goal tally.
- The winger could transform into the performer he resembled in Germany.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are set to regain fitness, strengthening a periodically leaky backline.
Maybe within that lies the seeds for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely cannot keep relying on Morgan Rogers.
Savoring the Moment
But then, this is a surprise. Few believed the team would sit in a Champions League place in December. And without a doubt two months ago, nobody thought Rogers by the end of the year would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title and appearing as a vital Three Lions star.
This winning streak should be enjoyed for the very reason that it appears so improbable. As the match-winner stood in front of the North End when the game ended conducting the cheers, he seemed to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. These runs of form are uncommon in the sport and ought to be celebrated.
