It was eight weeks in the past when the young forward stood on the Sunderland turf, seeming perplexed while his coach admonished him for not reading a penetrating pass. Back then, as Villa endured a six-game winless run, doubts remained if his displays were an indicator or a cause of the team's broader struggles.
“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 was entirely decidedly more positive. As the England international curled home his second strike to reinstate the lead for Villa, the Spanish tactician ripped off his winter coat, spread his arms and roared. The team were on their way to ten wins in a row and despite not winning their initial half-dozen fixtures, now sit a mere three points adrift of pace-setters Arsenal.
Is This Team Legitimate Title Contenders?
This is a particularly tough proposition to answer. History, the perceived status of this institution, indicates otherwise. Moreover, they've rarely been completely commanding during this run, while the victories have piled up.
According to Opta, on just two occasions has the team registered an expected goals figure notably superior than their opponents. For a team that have put together 10 in a row, Villa appear strangely fragile – but at the moment the fine lines are going in their favour.
The Reliant Strategy
The current approach looks like to exchange chances with the opposition before hoping their star man to bail them out with some clinical strikes. It happened at Leeds, it transpired at West Ham, and again versus United.
Rogers' first goal originated from a superb shot, curled just inside the post from the corner of the box. The follow-up goal acted as a somewhat messier replica of his first 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.”
Can It Last?
Common sense dictates no. In the recent win, Manchester United managed a greater number of attempts and more shots on target. They have secured their last eight victories by just one goal. They’ve conceded in all but one of those games.
A reversion to average could be the most significant challenge Villa have to face in the near future. Rogers, surely, cannot keep on drilling the ball into the net's top corner week in, week out.
A Case for Belief
Perhaps there is an alternative path whereby, rather than results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs could still return to peak condition.
- The main striker might resume adding to his goal tally.
- The winger could transform into the performer he was in Germany.
- The defensive duo will eventually come back from the treatment room, fortifying a sometimes shaky defensive unit.
Perhaps there is in that the possibility of a title challenge, but they surely can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.
Savoring the Moment
But then, this is a surprise. Nobody thought Aston Villa would occupy third at Christmas. And without a doubt back in October, few could imagine the young forward as the year closed would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit and appearing as a crucial player for the national team.
This winning streak is to be savoured exactly since it seems so surreal. When the hero stood in front of the North End when the game ended orchestrating the applause, he seemed to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. These runs of form are rare in football and should be relished.
