Just two months ago when the young forward was standing on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered as his coach berated him over not reading a pass in behind. Back then, as Villa failed to win in six, it wasn't clear whether his displays were a sign or a cause for the side's wider issues.
“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”
This weekend, though, the manager's outburst was far more favourable. After Rogers drilled in his second strike to reclaim his side's advantage, the Spanish tactician discarded his winter coat, opened his arms and roared. Villa marched on to a tenth straight victory and after failing to win their initial half-dozen fixtures, find themselves just three points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal.
Are They Legitimate Title Contenders?
That’s an exceptionally difficult proposition to address. Past precedent, the traditional standing of Villa, indicates otherwise. Additionally, their performances haven't been completely commanding this season, despite the fact the victories have piled up.
According to the data, on just two occasions have Villa had an expected goals figure significantly higher than their opponents. For a team who have just won 10 in a row, they seem weirdly vulnerable – but right now the fine lines are swinging for them.
The Winning Formula
The prevailing tactic appears to be to exchange chances with rivals and wait for their star man to rescue them with some clinical strikes. It happened away to Leeds, it happened against West Ham, and again against Manchester United.
Rogers' first goal stemmed from an exquisite effort, bent right inside the post from the edge of the area. The follow-up goal proved to be a somewhat messier replica of goal number one as he seized 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.”
Can It Last?
Common sense dictates no. During the latest victory, Manchester United managed a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. Villa have triumphed in eight consecutive games by just one goal. The defence has been breached in all but one of those games.
A statistical correction might be the biggest rival they must confront as the season progresses. The forward, surely, cannot keep on blasting the football past despairing goalkeepers indefinitely.
A Case for Belief
Could it be another reality in which, instead of results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players might still find their top level.
- The centre-forward might resume finding the net regularly.
- Jadon Sancho might become the player he was in Germany.
- The injured centre-backs are set to return from injury, fortifying a periodically leaky defensive unit.
Maybe within that lies the potential for a sustained push, however, it is improbable can persist in leaning entirely on Morgan Rogers.
Relishing the Unlikely
But then, nobody expected this. Few believed Villa would be in the top three for the holidays. And certainly earlier this season, few could imagine the midfielder as the year closed would be leading a hunt for the title and appearing as a crucial Three Lions star.
This winning streak is to be savoured exactly since it appears so improbable. As the match-winner positioned himself before the Villa faithful at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, it was clear to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. These runs of form are rare in football and must be appreciated.
