It was two months ago that the young forward found himself on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered while the Villa manager scolded him over missing a pass in behind. At that point, with the team went six without a win, it wasn't clear whether his performances were a symptom 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.”
On Sunday, in contrast, the touchline reaction proved to be far more favourable. After the in-form star curled home his brace-sealing goal to reclaim his side's advantage, the Spanish tactician discarded his winter coat, threw his arms wide and bellowed. Villa were on their way to a 10th successive win , despite not winning their initial half-dozen fixtures, now sit only three points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Serious Title Contenders?
This is a rather hard query to resolve. The historical record, a general sense of Villa, suggests not. Furthermore, they've rarely been entirely convincing in many games, while the victories have accumulated.
According to the data, on just two occasions has the side posted an xG notably superior than their opponents. For a team which has strung together 10 in a row, they seem strangely fragile – yet right now the fine lines are swinging for them.
The Winning Formula
Their recent policy appears to be to engage in a shootout with the opposition and wait for their talisman to save the day with a couple of crisp finishes. This occurred against Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and again when facing the Red Devils.
The initial strike came from an exquisite effort, curled just inside the goal frame from the corner of the box. For his second acted as a slightly less clean iteration of the opener as he pounced on a pass from Watkins.
“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.”
How Long Can This Continue?
Reason suggests otherwise. In the recent win, the opposition registered a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. Villa have won each of their last eight by a single goal. They’ve conceded in all except one of those matches.
A statistical correction could be the greatest opponent the club have to face over the coming weeks. Rogers, in all likelihood, cannot keep on drilling his shots into the top corner indefinitely.
Potential for Growth
Could it be a different scenario whereby, rather than luck running out, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Vital cogs could still rediscover their best form.
- The main striker might resume scoring again.
- Jadon Sancho may rediscover the force he was during his peak.
- The injured centre-backs will eventually regain fitness, bolstering a periodically leaky backline.
Perhaps there is in that the possibility of a genuine bid, however, it is improbable cannot keep relying on Morgan Rogers.
Enjoying the Ride
However, this was unforeseen. Few believed Aston Villa would sit in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely earlier this season, few could imagine the young forward as the year closed would be spearheading a hunt for the title and appearing as a vital Three Lions star.
This winning streak must be cherished for the very reason that it appears so improbable. When the match-winner faced the Villa faithful at the final whistle conducting the cheers, he seemed to be relishing every moment. A feeling he has rightly earned. These runs of form are uncommon in the sport and should be relished.
