A mere 60 days in the past that the young forward stood on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered while Unai Emery admonished him over not reading a penetrating pass. Back then, as Villa failed to win in six, the question was whether his performances were a symptom or the reason for the team's wider issues.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
This weekend, however, the touchline reaction was decidedly more positive. As Rogers curled home his second strike to reclaim his side's advantage, Emery ripped off his coat, opened his arms and shouted in triumph. Villa were on their way to a tenth straight victory , having failed to win any of their first six matches, are somehow a mere three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.
Is This Team Serious Hopefuls?
This is an exceptionally difficult proposition to resolve. The historical record, the perceived status of this institution, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, their performances haven't been completely commanding in many games, even as the positive results have stacked up.
As per statistical analysis, in only two games have Villa registered an xG notably superior than their opponents. For a team which has strung together a ten-match winning streak, they appear weirdly vulnerable – however at the moment the margins are going in their favour.
The Reliant Strategy
The current approach looks like to exchange chances with rivals and wait for Rogers to bail them out with a couple of crisp finishes. It happened away to Leeds, it occurred in London, and it happened against United.
His opener came from an exquisite effort, curled precisely inside the post from a wide position. The follow-up goal proved to be a somewhat messier replica of the opener as he pounced 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.”
Can It Last?
Common sense dictates no. During the latest victory, the opponents had a greater number of attempts and more efforts on goal. They have won each of their last eight by just one goal. The defence has been breached in nearly all of those fixtures.
Regression to the mean may well be the greatest opponent Villa must confront in the near future. Their key man, surely, cannot maintain blasting the ball past despairing goalkeepers indefinitely.
Potential for Growth
Maybe there exists an alternative path in which, rather than results trending towards performances, the level of play rises to match the results. Key players may yet rediscover their best form.
- The centre-forward might resume finding the net regularly.
- The attacking talent might become the performer he resembled during his peak.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are set to come back from the treatment room, bolstering a periodically leaky defensive unit.
This could contain the possibility for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely can persist in leaning entirely on Morgan Rogers.
Savoring the Moment
However, this was unforeseen. Nobody thought the team would occupy in the top three for the holidays. And without a doubt two months ago, nobody thought the midfielder by the end of the year would be leading a hunt for the title while establishing himself as a crucial England player.
This remarkable period is to be savoured exactly since it feels so unlikely. As the hero faced the home supporters after the match orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be relishing every moment. A feeling he has rightly earned. These spells do not happen often and should be relished.
