It was 60 days ago that the Villa attacker was standing on the Sunderland turf, seeming perplexed as his coach berated him over failing to anticipate a through-ball. At that point, as Villa failed to win in six, the question was if Rogers' form were a sign or the reason for Villa'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 manager's outburst was entirely much more joyous. When the England international drilled in his second to restore Villa's lead, the Spanish tactician tore off his jacket, threw his arms wide and roared. Villa marched on to a tenth straight victory and after failing to win their opening six matches, are somehow just three points adrift of pace-setters Arsenal.
Are They Legitimate Title Contenders?
This is a rather hard proposition to address. The historical record, a general sense of this institution, suggests not. Moreover, their performances haven't been entirely convincing this season, even as the positive results have stacked up.
According to the data, in only two games has the side registered an expected goals figure notably superior than their opponents. For a team which has strung together a ten-match winning streak, they look weirdly vulnerable – but at the moment the tight outcomes are falling their way.
The Reliant Strategy
The current approach appears to be to exchange chances with an opponent and then rely on their talisman to rescue them with some clinical strikes. It happened away to Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and once more versus United.
His opener originated from a brilliant finish, curled right inside the goal frame from the corner of the box. The follow-up goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one as he seized 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.”
Can It Last?
Reason suggests otherwise. During the latest victory, the opponents managed more shots and more efforts on goal. Villa have secured their last eight victories by just one goal. The defence has been breached in all except one of those matches.
Regression to the mean could be the most significant challenge Villa will encounter over the coming weeks. Rogers, in all likelihood, cannot keep on thrashing the football into the net's top corner forever.
Potential for Growth
Could it be a different scenario where, instead of results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players could still find their top level.
- Ollie Watkins could start adding to his goal tally.
- Jadon Sancho could transform into the force he resembled during his peak.
- The defensive duo are set to return from injury, strengthening a sometimes shaky defensive unit.
Maybe within that lies the seeds of a genuine bid, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on Morgan Rogers.
Enjoying the Ride
But then, this is a surprise. It seemed improbable Aston Villa would sit in a Champions League place in December. And certainly earlier this season, nobody thought Rogers by the end of the year would be leading a title charge and appearing as a vital England player.
The current run should be enjoyed exactly since it feels so unlikely. When the hero positioned himself before the Villa faithful at the final whistle conducting the cheers, it was clear to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. These runs of form are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.
