A mere two months in the past that Morgan Rogers found himself on the Sunderland turf, looking confused as Unai Emery berated him for failing to anticipate a pass in behind. During that period, with the team failed to win in six, it wasn't clear whether his performances were an indicator or a cause of Villa's wider issues.
“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”
On Sunday, though, the manager's outburst was far more favourable. After the in-form star swept in his brace-sealing goal to reinstate Villa's lead, the boss discarded his winter coat, opened his arms and bellowed. The Birmingham club marched on to a tenth straight victory , having failed to win any of their first six games, now sit a mere three points adrift of pace-setters Arsenal.
Are They Genuine Challengers?
It remains an exceptionally difficult question to address. The historical record, a general sense of the club, suggests not. Furthermore, they have not been entirely convincing during this run, while the wins have accumulated.
As per Opta, on just two occasions has the side had an expected goals figure notably superior than the opposition. For a club who have put together 10 in a row, they seem weirdly vulnerable – yet right now the tight outcomes are falling their way.
The Reliant Strategy
Their recent policy appears to be to exchange chances with the opposition and wait for their talisman to save the day with two crisp finishes. This occurred away to Leeds, it occurred against West Ham, and it happened versus Manchester United.
His opener stemmed from an exquisite effort, arced precisely inside the post from the corner of the box. The follow-up goal acted as a somewhat messier replica of goal number one capitalizing 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. Against United, the opponents registered more efforts and more efforts on goal. Villa have secured their last eight victories by a single goal. The defence has been breached in all except one of those fixtures.
A statistical correction may well be the biggest rival Villa will encounter in the near future. Their key man, in all likelihood, cannot maintain drilling his shots into the top corner indefinitely.
Reasons for Optimism
Maybe there exists a different scenario whereby, rather than results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players might still return to peak condition.
- The main striker might resume scoring again.
- Jadon Sancho may rediscover the force he was during his peak.
- The defensive duo will eventually regain fitness, fortifying a sometimes shaky backline.
Maybe within that lies the possibility of a title challenge, yet it seems unlikely cannot keep relying on Morgan Rogers.
Savoring the Moment
However, this is a surprise. Nobody thought Villa would occupy in the top three for the holidays. And certainly two months ago, nobody thought Rogers as the year closed would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit and appearing as an essential Three Lions star.
This remarkable period is to be savoured exactly since it appears so improbable. As the match-winner stood in front of the home supporters when the game ended leading the celebrations, it was clear to be thoroughly enjoying it. Which he fully merits. These spells are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.
