A mere 60 days in the past when the Villa attacker found himself on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered as the Villa manager scolded him over missing a penetrating pass. Back then, as the club endured a six-game winless run, doubts remained if Rogers' form were an indicator or the source for the side'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 manager's outburst was far more favourable. When Rogers curled home his brace-sealing goal to restore the lead for Villa, the boss discarded his coat, opened his arms and roared. The team marched on to a tenth straight victory and after failing to win their initial half-dozen matches, find themselves a mere three points off pace-setters Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Serious Hopefuls?
That’s an exceptionally difficult question to resolve. History, a general sense of the club, suggests not. Furthermore, they have not been wholly dominant this season, even as the positive results have stacked up.
According to the data, on just two occasions has the team posted an expected goals figure notably superior than their opponents. For a club which has strung together a ten-match winning streak, they appear curiously susceptible – yet currently the margins are falling their way.
The Winning Formula
The prevailing tactic seems to be to engage in a shootout with rivals before hoping Rogers to bail them out with a couple of crisp finishes. This was the case at Leeds, it occurred in London, and once more versus United.
Rogers' first goal stemmed from an exquisite effort, arced right inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. For his second acted as a slightly less clean iteration of his first as he pounced on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.
“Rogers’ right foot is now akin to Robben’s legendary left: forewarned does not mean forearmed, and stopping him is another matter entirely.”
How Long Can This Continue?
Reason suggests otherwise. During the latest victory, the opponents registered a greater number of attempts and more shots on target. Villa have triumphed in eight consecutive games by just one goal. They have allowed goals in all except one of those matches.
A statistical correction may well be the most significant challenge they will encounter over the coming weeks. Rogers, almost certainly, cannot maintain blasting his shots into the top corner forever.
Potential for Growth
Perhaps there is another reality in which, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, the level of play rises to match the results. Vital cogs may yet return to peak condition.
- The centre-forward may begin to scoring again.
- The attacking talent could transform into the performer he resembled in Germany.
- The defensive duo are set to return from injury, bolstering a sometimes shaky defence.
Perhaps there is in that the seeds of a genuine bid, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on Morgan Rogers.
Relishing the Unlikely
Yet, nobody expected this. Nobody thought Villa would occupy in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely back in October, nobody thought the young forward now would be spearheading a championship pursuit while looking like an essential Three Lions star.
The current run is to be savoured exactly since it seems so surreal. As Rogers faced the home supporters after the match orchestrating the applause, it was clear to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. Such periods are uncommon in the sport and should be relished.
