A mere two months prior that the young forward stood on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered while Unai Emery scolded him over missing a penetrating pass. At that point, as the club failed to win in six, doubts remained if Rogers' form were an indicator or a cause for the team's wider issues.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
On Sunday, in contrast, the touchline reaction proved to be far more favourable. As the in-form star curled home his brace-sealing goal to reinstate Villa's lead, Emery ripped off his winter coat, threw his arms wide and bellowed. Villa were on their way to a 10th successive win and after failing to win their opening six matches, find themselves a mere three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Serious Challengers?
It remains an exceptionally difficult question to address. Past precedent, the traditional standing of the club, argues against it. Moreover, they have not been completely commanding this season, while the wins have accumulated.
As per the data, on just two occasions have Villa had an xG significantly higher than the opposition. For a team which has strung together a ten-match winning streak, the Villans appear curiously susceptible – however currently the margins are swinging for them.
The Reliant Strategy
Their recent policy seems to be to engage in a shootout with rivals and then rely on Rogers to bail them out with a couple of precise efforts. This occurred at Leeds, it occurred in London, and once more against the Red Devils.
Rogers' first goal originated from a superb shot, curled just inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. The follow-up goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one capitalizing 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.”
Can It Last?
Reason suggests otherwise. In the recent win, the opponents had more efforts and more direct attempts. Villa have won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in all except one of those fixtures.
A statistical correction could be the most significant challenge the club have to face in the near future. Rogers, almost certainly, cannot keep on thrashing the football into the net's top corner week in, week out.
Reasons for Optimism
Perhaps there is an alternative path in which, rather than luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs might still return to peak condition.
- The main striker could start scoring again.
- The winger might become the force he was at Borussia Dortmund.
- The defensive duo will eventually return from injury, bolstering an occasionally vulnerable backline.
Perhaps there is in that the potential of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely can persist in leaning entirely on Morgan Rogers.
Relishing the Unlikely
Yet, this is a surprise. Nobody thought Villa would be third at Christmas. And most definitely back in October, nobody thought the young forward now would be leading a hunt for the title while establishing himself as a vital England player.
This winning streak should be enjoyed precisely because it appears so improbable. As the match-winner faced the Villa faithful at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, he seemed to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. Such periods do not happen often and must be appreciated.
