It was 60 days ago when Morgan Rogers was standing on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered as his coach berated him over missing a through-ball. During that period, as the club went six without a win, it wasn't clear whether his performances were a sign or a cause of Villa's broader struggles.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
This weekend, though, the sideline response was decidedly more positive. As the in-form star swept in his brace-sealing goal to reinstate Villa's lead, the boss tore off his coat, threw his arms wide and bellowed. Villa marched on to ten wins in a row and after failing to win their opening six games, are somehow only three points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal.
Are They Serious Hopefuls?
That’s a rather hard query to answer. History, a general sense of this institution, argues against it. Additionally, they've rarely been completely commanding this season, even as the victories have stacked up.
According to the data, on just two occasions has the side had an expected goals figure significantly higher than the opposition. For a team that have put together ten consecutive victories, they look curiously susceptible – but right now the margins are going in their favour.
The Winning Formula
The current approach appears to be to exchange chances with the opposition before hoping their talisman to bail them out with a couple of crisp finishes. This occurred against Leeds, it happened against West Ham, and once more when facing United.
Rogers' first goal originated from an exquisite effort, arced just inside the upright from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of the opener as he seized on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.
“Much like Robben with his left, Rogers’ right foot has become a known threat that remains brutally unstoppable, regardless of anticipation.”
Can It Last?
Reason suggests otherwise. During the latest victory, the opponents managed more shots and more direct attempts. The team has secured their last eight victories by just one goal. They have allowed goals in nearly all of those games.
A reversion to average could be the most significant challenge Villa must confront over the coming weeks. Their key man, in all likelihood, cannot keep on thrashing the ball into the top corner indefinitely.
Reasons for Optimism
Maybe there exists a different scenario where, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, the level of play rises to match the results. Key players could still rediscover their best form.
- Ollie Watkins could start finding the net regularly.
- The winger might become the player he showed during his peak.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are set to return from injury, bolstering a periodically leaky defensive unit.
This could contain the possibility for a sustained push, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on Morgan Rogers.
Savoring the Moment
Yet, this is a surprise. It seemed improbable the team would sit in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely earlier this season, nobody thought the young forward as the year closed would be leading a title charge while looking like a vital Three Lions star.
This winning streak should be enjoyed precisely because it appears so improbable. As the hero positioned himself before the Villa faithful when the game ended leading the celebrations, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. A feeling he has rightly earned. These spells do not happen often and must be appreciated.
