It was two months ago when Morgan Rogers stood on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered while the Villa manager scolded him for failing to anticipate a pass in behind. At that point, as Villa endured a six-game winless run, it wasn't clear whether his displays were a symptom or the source of the team's broader struggles.
“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”
On Sunday, in contrast, the sideline response proved to be decidedly more positive. When Rogers curled home his brace-sealing goal to reclaim his side's advantage, the Spanish tactician tore off his winter coat, spread his arms and shouted in triumph. Villa continued to a 10th successive win and despite not winning any of their first six fixtures, are somehow just three points off table-toppers Arsenal.
Are They Legitimate Challengers?
That’s a rather hard query to address. The historical record, the perceived status of this institution, argues against it. Moreover, they've rarely been wholly dominant during this run, while the positive results have accumulated.
As per statistical analysis, in only two games has the side had an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a team who have strung together ten consecutive victories, Villa look weirdly vulnerable – yet at the moment the margins are going in their favour.
The Reliant Strategy
The current approach looks like to engage in a shootout with the opposition before hoping their star man to bail them out with two precise efforts. It happened away to Leeds, it transpired in London, and once more versus United.
The initial strike originated from a superb shot, bent just inside the post from the corner of the box. The follow-up goal proved to be a slightly less clean iteration 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.”
How Long Can This Continue?
Common sense dictates no. During the latest victory, the opponents had more shots and more efforts on goal. They have won each of their last eight by a single goal. They’ve conceded in all but one of those fixtures.
A statistical correction could be the most significant challenge they will encounter over the coming weeks. Rogers, in all likelihood, cannot keep on thrashing his shots into the top corner forever.
Reasons for Optimism
Maybe there exists another reality where, instead of results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs might still find their top level.
- The main striker might resume adding to his goal tally.
- Jadon Sancho could transform into the force he resembled in Germany.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to return from injury, fortifying an occasionally vulnerable backline.
Perhaps there is in that the possibility of a title challenge, however, it is improbable can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.
Savoring the Moment
However, nobody expected this. Nobody thought Aston Villa would sit in a Champions League place in December. And certainly back in October, no one envisioned the midfielder as the year closed would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title while establishing himself as a vital Three Lions star.
This remarkable period must be cherished exactly since it seems so surreal. As the hero positioned himself before the home supporters at the final whistle leading the celebrations, he seemed to be relishing every moment. Which he fully merits. These spells do not happen often and should be relished.
