A mere two months in the past when the Villa attacker was standing on the Sunderland turf, seeming perplexed while the Villa manager admonished him over not reading a pass in behind. At that point, as the club endured a six-game winless run, the question was if his performances were a symptom or the reason of the side's more general malaise.
“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”
On Sunday, however, the touchline reaction was much more joyous. As the in-form star curled home his second strike to restore Villa's lead, Emery tore off his jacket, spread his arms and shouted in triumph. The team were on their way to a tenth straight victory , despite not winning their opening six matches, are somehow only three points off table-toppers Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Legitimate Challengers?
It remains an exceptionally difficult question to resolve. Past precedent, the traditional standing of the club, indicates otherwise. Additionally, they've rarely been completely commanding during this run, despite the fact the positive results have piled up.
Per the data, in only two games have Villa registered an xG notably superior than their opponents. For a team which has put together ten consecutive victories, the Villans appear weirdly vulnerable – but currently the tight outcomes are falling their way.
The Winning Formula
The current approach appears to be to trade blows with the opposition and wait for their talisman to rescue them with two crisp finishes. This occurred against Leeds, it occurred against West Ham, and again against Manchester United.
The initial strike originated from a superb shot, arced precisely inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal acted as 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 efforts and more shots on target. Villa have triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in all except one of those games.
Regression to the mean might be the greatest opponent Villa must confront in the near future. The forward, in all likelihood, will not continue to drilling his shots past despairing goalkeepers week in, week out.
Reasons for Optimism
Could it be a different scenario whereby, rather than luck running out, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Important figures might still return to peak condition.
- Ollie Watkins might resume scoring again.
- The winger might become the force he showed in Germany.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are set to return from injury, fortifying a periodically leaky defence.
This could contain the seeds of a title challenge, yet it seems unlikely cannot keep relying on Morgan Rogers.
Savoring the Moment
But then, this was unforeseen. Nobody thought Aston Villa would sit in a Champions League place in December. And certainly two months ago, nobody thought Rogers now would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit while establishing himself as a vital England player.
This remarkable period is to be savoured for the very reason that it seems so surreal. As the hero positioned himself before the North End after the match orchestrating the applause, it was clear to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. These runs of form do not happen often and ought to be celebrated.
