Just eight weeks ago that Morgan Rogers found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered while Unai Emery admonished him for not reading a penetrating pass. At that point, as Villa went six without a win, doubts remained if his displays were a symptom or a cause of Villa's broader struggles.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
On Sunday, however, the manager's outburst was entirely far more favourable. When the in-form star swept in his second to reclaim Villa's lead, Emery tore off his coat, opened his arms and roared. Villa were on their way to a tenth straight victory , despite not winning their opening six fixtures, now sit a mere three points behind the leaders Arsenal.
Is This Team Genuine Challengers?
That’s a particularly tough query to address. Past precedent, the perceived status of this institution, suggests not. Moreover, their performances haven't been completely commanding during this run, even as the positive results have piled up.
Per Opta, in only two games has the team registered an expected goals figure significantly higher than the other team. For a team which has just won ten consecutive victories, Villa seem curiously susceptible – however at the moment the fine lines are falling their way.
The Rogers Recipe
The current approach seems to be to trade blows with an opponent and wait for Rogers to save the day with a couple of clinical strikes. This occurred at Leeds, it transpired in London, and once more against the Red Devils.
The initial strike stemmed from a brilliant finish, arced just inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal proved to be a slight scruffier version of goal number one as he pounced on a pass from Watkins.
“Much like Robben with his left, Rogers’ right foot has become a known threat that remains brutally unstoppable, regardless of anticipation.”
Is It Sustainable?
Logic says not. Against United, the opposition registered more efforts and more direct attempts. They have won each of their last eight by a single goal. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those matches.
A statistical correction might be the greatest opponent the club must confront over the coming weeks. Rogers, surely, cannot keep on thrashing the football into the top corner week in, week out.
A Case for Belief
Perhaps there is another reality whereby, instead of results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs could still return to peak condition.
- The main striker might resume scoring again.
- The winger may rediscover the force he was at Borussia Dortmund.
- The injured centre-backs are due to regain fitness, fortifying an occasionally vulnerable backline.
This could contain the seeds for a sustained push, but they surely can continue to depend solely on a single individual.
Enjoying the Ride
However, this was unforeseen. It seemed improbable Villa would sit in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely two months ago, nobody thought the young forward by the end of the year would be leading a championship pursuit and appearing as an essential England player.
This winning streak must be cherished for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. As the hero faced the Villa faithful after the match orchestrating the applause, he seemed to be loving the experience. A feeling he has rightly earned. These spells are rare in football and should be relished.
