It was 60 days ago that the Villa attacker was standing on the pitch at Sunderland, seeming perplexed while the Villa manager admonished him for failing to anticipate a pass in behind. At that point, with the team failed to win in six, doubts remained if his displays were an indicator or a cause for Villa's wider issues.
“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”
This weekend, though, the sideline response was entirely far more favourable. As the in-form star swept in his second to reinstate his side's advantage, the boss tore off his jacket, spread his arms and shouted in triumph. Villa continued to ten wins in a row , after failing to win any of their first six games, now sit a mere three points off the leaders Arsenal.
Is This Team Legitimate Title Contenders?
It remains an exceptionally difficult question to address. History, a general sense of the club, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, they've rarely been entirely convincing in many games, despite the fact the wins have accumulated.
Per the data, twice all season have Villa had an xG more than 0.5 greater than the other team. For a club who have strung together 10 in a row, they look weirdly vulnerable – however right now the fine lines are falling their way.
The Rogers Recipe
The prevailing tactic appears to be to engage in a shootout with an opponent and wait for their talisman to bail them out with some precise efforts. It happened away to Leeds, it happened against West Ham, and again versus Manchester United.
The initial strike came from an exquisite effort, arced just inside the upright from a wide position. For his second was essentially a slight scruffier version of the opener capitalizing on a setup by his strike partner.
“Rogers’ right foot is now akin to Robben’s legendary left: forewarned does not mean forearmed, and stopping him is another matter entirely.”
Can It Last?
Reason suggests otherwise. Against United, the opposition managed more efforts and more shots on target. Villa have secured their last eight victories by just one goal. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those matches.
Regression to the mean might be the greatest opponent the club have to face over the coming weeks. The forward, almost certainly, will not continue to thrashing his shots into the top corner week in, week out.
Potential for Growth
Perhaps there is an alternative path in which, rather than results trending towards performances, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Key players might still return to peak condition.
- The centre-forward could start finding the net regularly.
- The attacking talent might become the performer he was during his peak.
- The injured centre-backs are set to come back from the treatment room, bolstering a sometimes shaky defensive unit.
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. Nobody thought Aston Villa would occupy in a Champions League place in December. And without a doubt two months ago, no one envisioned the midfielder now would be spearheading a title charge while looking like a vital Three Lions star.
This remarkable period is to be savoured exactly since it appears so improbable. As the match-winner positioned himself before the North End when the game ended leading the celebrations, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. These spells are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.
