A mere two months prior that the young forward stood on the Stadium of Light pitch, seeming perplexed as the Villa manager berated him for failing to anticipate a through-ball. During that period, as Villa went six without a win, doubts remained if Rogers' form were a symptom or the source for the side's wider issues.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
This weekend, though, the touchline reaction was much more joyous. As the England international swept in his second to reinstate Villa's lead, Emery discarded his winter coat, opened his arms and roared. The Birmingham club marched on to a 10th successive win and despite not winning any of their first six games, now sit a mere three points adrift of the leaders Arsenal.
Are They Genuine Title Contenders?
It remains a particularly tough query to answer. History, the traditional standing of this institution, argues against it. Moreover, they have not been entirely convincing in many games, while the positive results have piled up.
Per statistical analysis, in only two games has the team posted an expected goals figure notably superior than their opponents. For a side which has strung together ten consecutive victories, Villa look weirdly vulnerable – however currently the tight outcomes are swinging for them.
The Winning Formula
The current approach appears to be to trade blows with rivals before hoping their talisman to save the day with two precise efforts. It happened against Leeds, it happened against West Ham, and again against Manchester United.
The initial strike originated from an exquisite effort, arced right inside the upright from the corner of the box. The follow-up goal was essentially a slight scruffier version of the opener 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.”
Can It Last?
Logic says not. In the recent win, Manchester United had more efforts and more direct attempts. The team has secured their last eight victories by just one goal. The defence has been breached in all but one of those matches.
A statistical correction might be the most significant challenge Villa have to face over the coming weeks. Rogers, almost certainly, cannot keep on drilling his shots into the top corner forever.
A Case for Belief
Perhaps there is another reality where, rather than results trending towards performances, the level of play rises to match the results. Key players may yet return to peak condition.
- The centre-forward may begin to scoring again.
- Jadon Sancho could transform into the player he resembled during his peak.
- The defensive duo are due to regain fitness, bolstering an occasionally vulnerable backline.
Maybe within that lies the potential of a title challenge, however, it is improbable can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.
Relishing the Unlikely
However, this is a surprise. Nobody thought Aston Villa would occupy in a Champions League place in December. And without a doubt two months ago, nobody thought Rogers now would be leading a hunt for the title while looking like a crucial player for the national team.
This winning streak is to be savoured for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. When the hero faced the home supporters after the match leading the celebrations, he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. Such periods are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.
