It was 60 days ago when the Villa attacker found himself on the Sunderland turf, looking confused as his coach admonished him over failing to anticipate a pass in behind. At that point, as Villa went six without a win, the question was whether his displays were an indicator or the source for Villa's more general malaise.
“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”
On Sunday, however, the touchline reaction was entirely decidedly more positive. When the in-form star swept in his brace-sealing goal to reinstate Villa's lead, Emery ripped off his coat, spread his arms and roared. The team were on their way to a tenth straight victory and having failed to win their initial half-dozen fixtures, now sit only three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.
Is This Team Legitimate Hopefuls?
It remains a rather hard proposition to resolve. History, the perceived status of the club, suggests not. Additionally, they have not been entirely convincing in many games, while the wins have piled up.
According to statistical analysis, on just two occasions have Villa registered an xG significantly higher than the other team. For a team who have strung together ten consecutive victories, they appear curiously susceptible – however at the moment the tight outcomes are swinging for them.
The Rogers Recipe
The current approach appears to be to exchange chances with the opposition and wait for their talisman to bail them out with two clinical strikes. It happened at Leeds, it happened at West Ham, and it happened against Manchester United.
The initial strike came from a brilliant finish, curled precisely inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. The follow-up goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration of his first capitalizing on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.
“Much like Robben with his left, Rogers’ right foot has become a known threat that remains brutally unstoppable, regardless of anticipation.”
How Long Can This Continue?
Reason suggests otherwise. Against United, the opposition had a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. They have triumphed in eight consecutive games by a single goal. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those matches.
Regression to the mean could be the most significant challenge they will encounter as the season progresses. Their key man, almost certainly, cannot keep on drilling the ball into the net's top corner forever.
Potential for Growth
Could it be another reality in which, instead of luck running out, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Key players may yet return to peak condition.
- The main striker might resume scoring again.
- The winger might become the force he showed at Borussia Dortmund.
- The defensive duo are due to return from injury, bolstering a periodically leaky backline.
This could contain the seeds for a sustained push, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on Morgan Rogers.
Savoring the Moment
But then, this was unforeseen. It seemed improbable Villa would be third at Christmas. And certainly two months ago, 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 player for the national team.
This winning streak must be cherished precisely because it feels so unlikely. When Rogers positioned himself before the Villa faithful after the match conducting the cheers, he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it. A feeling he has rightly earned. Such periods are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.
