It was 60 days ago that Morgan Rogers was standing on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered as Unai Emery admonished him for missing a through-ball. At that point, as Villa failed to win in six, doubts remained whether his displays were an indicator or a cause of the team's more general malaise.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
In the latest match, however, the touchline reaction was entirely much more joyous. After the England international drilled in his second to reinstate Villa's lead, the boss discarded his coat, opened his arms and bellowed. The Birmingham club marched on to a tenth straight victory , having failed to win their initial half-dozen matches, find themselves just three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.
Is This Team Legitimate Hopefuls?
It remains a rather hard query to address. History, the perceived status of the club, suggests not. Additionally, they have not been completely commanding this season, despite the fact the positive results have stacked up.
According to statistical analysis, in only two games have Villa had an expected goals figure significantly higher than their opponents. For a club who have put together a ten-match winning streak, Villa appear weirdly vulnerable – however at the moment the fine lines are falling their way.
The Rogers Recipe
Their recent policy appears to be to exchange chances with the opposition and wait for their talisman to rescue them with some clinical strikes. This occurred against Leeds, it occurred in London, and it happened when facing United.
His opener came from an exquisite effort, curled just inside the upright from the corner of the box. The follow-up goal acted as a slight scruffier version of his first as he pounced on a setup by his strike partner.
“Much like Robben with his left, Rogers’ right foot has become a known threat that remains brutally unstoppable, regardless of anticipation.”
Is It Sustainable?
Reason suggests otherwise. Against United, the opposition had more shots and more efforts on goal. The team has triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. They have allowed goals in nearly all of those fixtures.
Regression to the mean may well be the greatest opponent the club will encounter over the coming weeks. The forward, almost certainly, cannot keep on blasting his shots into the net's top corner forever.
Potential for Growth
Could it be another reality where, instead of results trending towards performances, the level of play rises to match the results. Vital cogs could still find their top level.
- The centre-forward may begin to scoring again.
- Jadon Sancho could transform into the force he showed in Germany.
- The defensive duo are due to return from injury, strengthening a periodically leaky defensive unit.
This could contain the seeds of a title challenge, however, it is improbable can persist in leaning entirely on Morgan Rogers.
Savoring the Moment
Yet, this was unforeseen. It seemed improbable Villa would sit in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely back in October, no one envisioned the young forward by the end of the year would be leading a title charge while looking like a vital England player.
This winning streak is to be savoured exactly since it seems so surreal. As the hero positioned himself before the home supporters at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it. A feeling he has rightly earned. These runs of form do not happen often and must be appreciated.
