It was two months prior that Morgan Rogers found himself on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered while the Villa manager admonished him over missing a through-ball. At that point, with the team went six without a win, it wasn't clear if his displays were an indicator or a cause for the side's more general malaise.
“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”
In the latest match, in contrast, the manager's outburst was entirely much more joyous. As the England international swept in his second to reinstate his side's advantage, the Spanish tactician discarded his coat, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. The team continued to ten wins in a row , having failed to win their initial half-dozen games, find themselves just three points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal.
Are They Legitimate Hopefuls?
This is a particularly tough question to resolve. Past precedent, the perceived status of this institution, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, their performances haven't been completely commanding in many games, while the victories have accumulated.
Per Opta, twice all season have Villa had an expected goals figure significantly higher than their opponents. For a club who have strung together ten consecutive victories, Villa appear curiously susceptible – but right now the fine lines are falling their way.
The Rogers Recipe
Their recent policy seems to be to engage in a shootout with an opponent and wait for their talisman to bail them out with some crisp finishes. This occurred away to Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and once more when facing Manchester United.
Rogers' first goal came from an exquisite effort, arced just inside the post from the corner of the box. His brace-completing goal acted as a somewhat messier replica of goal number one capitalizing on a pass from Watkins.
“Perhaps Rogers’ right foot is becoming like Arjen Robben’s left: just because you know he’s going to whip the ball into the top corner doesn’t mean you can stop him.”
How Long Can This Continue?
Logic says not. In the recent win, the opponents had more shots and more direct attempts. The team has secured their last eight victories by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in all but one of those matches.
A statistical correction may well be the greatest opponent Villa must confront in the near future. Their key man, almost certainly, cannot maintain thrashing the football into the top corner week in, week out.
Reasons for Optimism
Maybe there exists another reality in which, rather than results trending towards performances, the level of play rises to match the results. Vital cogs could still return to peak condition.
- The main striker might resume finding the net regularly.
- The winger might become the performer he was at Borussia Dortmund.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will eventually come back from the treatment room, bolstering a periodically leaky defence.
This could contain the potential of a title challenge, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on one man.
Relishing the Unlikely
However, this is a surprise. Few believed Aston Villa would occupy third at Christmas. And without a doubt earlier this season, nobody thought the young forward by the end of the year would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title while looking like an essential England player.
The current run must be cherished for the very reason that it seems so surreal. As the hero positioned himself before the home supporters after the match orchestrating the applause, it was clear to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. These runs of form are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.
