A mere 60 days ago when the Villa attacker stood on the Stadium of Light pitch, looking confused while his coach berated him over failing to anticipate a through-ball. Back then, as Villa failed to win in six, doubts remained if his performances were an indicator or the source for the team's wider issues.
“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”
In the latest match, however, the sideline response was much more joyous. After the in-form star swept in his brace-sealing goal to reclaim his side's advantage, Emery discarded his jacket, spread his arms and bellowed. The Birmingham club were on their way to a tenth straight victory , despite not winning their opening six fixtures, find themselves just three points off pace-setters Arsenal.
Is This Team Genuine Title Contenders?
That’s an exceptionally difficult proposition to answer. History, a general sense of Villa, suggests not. Moreover, their performances haven't been completely commanding in many games, even as the victories have accumulated.
Per Opta, on just two occasions has the side had an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than the other team. For a club who have just won 10 in a row, Villa look strangely fragile – however right now the tight outcomes are falling their way.
The Rogers Recipe
Their recent policy seems to be to exchange chances with the opposition and then rely on their talisman to bail them out with some precise efforts. It happened at Leeds, it transpired at West Ham, and again versus United.
Rogers' first goal stemmed from an exquisite effort, arced just inside the goal frame from a wide position. The follow-up goal was essentially a slight scruffier version of his first as he seized 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.”
Is It Sustainable?
Common sense dictates no. In the recent win, Manchester United had more efforts and more shots on target. Villa have triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. They have allowed goals in all except one of those games.
A reversion to average could be the most significant challenge the club will encounter in the near future. Their key man, surely, will not continue to thrashing the football into the top corner indefinitely.
Reasons for Optimism
Could it be another reality where, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, the level of play rises to match the results. Key players might still return to peak condition.
- Ollie Watkins might resume adding to his goal tally.
- The winger might become the performer he showed in Germany.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will eventually return from injury, bolstering a periodically leaky defence.
Maybe within that lies the possibility of a genuine bid, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on Morgan Rogers.
Savoring the Moment
But then, this is a surprise. Nobody thought the team would be in the top three for the holidays. And certainly two months ago, few could imagine the young forward now would be spearheading a championship pursuit while establishing himself as a crucial England player.
The current run is to be savoured precisely because it feels so unlikely. When the hero stood in front of the home supporters at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. These spells do not happen often and must be appreciated.
