Just 60 days in the past that the Villa attacker was standing on the Sunderland turf, looking confused as his coach scolded him over missing a through-ball. Back then, as the club endured a six-game winless run, doubts remained if his displays were a sign or a cause for Villa's wider issues.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
In the latest match, however, the manager's outburst was entirely much more joyous. As the in-form star drilled in his second to reinstate the lead for Villa, Emery tore off his winter coat, spread his arms and bellowed. The team marched on to a tenth straight victory and despite not winning their opening six games, find themselves a mere three points behind the leaders Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Genuine Challengers?
This is a particularly tough proposition to resolve. Past precedent, the traditional standing of the club, argues against it. Furthermore, they have not been completely commanding in many games, while the victories have stacked up.
Per statistical analysis, twice all season has the team posted an expected goals figure notably superior than the other team. For a club that have just won ten consecutive victories, they look curiously susceptible – but currently the margins are going in their favour.
The Reliant Strategy
Their recent policy appears to be to trade blows with rivals and wait for their talisman to save the day with some precise efforts. This occurred against Leeds, it happened in London, and again when facing Manchester United.
The initial strike originated from a superb shot, curled precisely inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one as he seized on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.
“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.”
Is It Sustainable?
Logic says not. In the recent win, the opposition had a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. Villa have secured their last eight victories by a single goal. They’ve conceded in all but one of those matches.
A statistical correction could be the most significant challenge Villa will encounter in the near future. Rogers, in all likelihood, will not continue to blasting the football past despairing goalkeepers forever.
A Case for Belief
Perhaps there is an alternative path whereby, rather than results trending towards performances, the level of play rises to match the results. Vital cogs could still find their top level.
- The centre-forward might resume scoring again.
- The winger could transform into the player he resembled in Germany.
- The injured centre-backs are set to regain fitness, strengthening a periodically leaky defence.
This could contain the seeds for a sustained push, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on Morgan Rogers.
Enjoying the Ride
But then, nobody expected this. Few believed the team would sit in a Champions League place in December. And certainly earlier this season, nobody thought the young forward by the end of the year would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit while establishing himself as a vital England player.
This remarkable period must be cherished precisely because it appears so improbable. When the hero faced the North End at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, it was clear to be loving the experience. A feeling he has rightly earned. Such periods are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.
