It was two months in the past when the young forward was standing on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered while his coach admonished him over failing to anticipate a through-ball. Back then, as the club went six without a win, doubts remained if his performances were an indicator or a cause for the team's more general malaise.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
On Sunday, in contrast, the sideline response was decidedly more positive. When Rogers swept in his brace-sealing goal to reclaim Villa's lead, the boss ripped off his winter coat, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. The team marched on to a tenth straight victory and after failing to win their initial half-dozen fixtures, find themselves just three points off pace-setters Arsenal.
Is This Team Serious Title Contenders?
It remains an exceptionally difficult question to address. The historical record, a general sense of this institution, indicates otherwise. Moreover, they have not been wholly dominant this season, while the victories have piled up.
According to statistical analysis, on just two occasions have Villa posted an expected goals figure notably superior than the other team. For a team who have strung together 10 in a row, the Villans appear weirdly vulnerable – yet right now the margins are falling their way.
The Reliant Strategy
Their recent policy seems to be to exchange chances with rivals before hoping their star man to rescue them with two clinical strikes. It happened away to Leeds, it happened against West Ham, and once more when facing the Red Devils.
The initial strike stemmed from a brilliant finish, arced right inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. For his second proved to be a slight scruffier version of the opener as he seized on a setup by his strike partner.
“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. In the recent win, Manchester United managed a greater number of attempts and more efforts on goal. They have won each of their last eight by just one goal. They have allowed goals in all except one of those fixtures.
A reversion to average might be the biggest rival Villa have to face over the coming weeks. The forward, almost certainly, will not continue to drilling the football into the net's top corner forever.
Reasons for Optimism
Maybe there exists another reality where, instead of results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures could still find their top level.
- The centre-forward could start finding the net regularly.
- The winger might become the player he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
- The defensive duo will eventually regain fitness, bolstering a periodically leaky defensive unit.
Perhaps there is in that the possibility of a title challenge, yet it seems unlikely cannot keep relying on Morgan Rogers.
Enjoying the Ride
However, nobody expected this. It seemed improbable the team would be in a Champions League place in December. And certainly back in October, few could imagine the midfielder by the end of the year would be spearheading a hunt for the title and appearing as an essential player for the national team.
This remarkable period must be cherished for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. As the hero faced the North End after the match conducting the cheers, it was clear to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. These spells are uncommon in the sport and ought to be celebrated.
