A mere 60 days in the past that Morgan Rogers stood on the Stadium of Light pitch, seeming perplexed as Unai Emery scolded him for not reading a pass in behind. At that point, as the club failed to win in six, the question was if his displays were a symptom or the reason of the team'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, however, the sideline response was entirely much more joyous. When the in-form star swept in his second to reinstate the lead for Villa, Emery tore off his coat, spread his arms and shouted in triumph. Villa were on their way to a tenth straight victory and despite not winning their opening six fixtures, find themselves only three points behind the leaders Arsenal.
Are They Serious Challengers?
It remains a rather hard query to address. History, the traditional standing of this institution, argues against it. Additionally, their performances haven't been wholly dominant during this run, despite the fact the wins have accumulated.
According to Opta, in only two games has the team had an expected goals figure significantly higher than the opposition. For a side who have strung together a ten-match winning streak, Villa seem weirdly vulnerable – yet at the moment the tight outcomes are falling their way.
The Winning Formula
Their recent policy appears to be to trade blows with an opponent and then rely on Rogers to rescue them with two crisp finishes. This occurred away to Leeds, it happened in London, and once more when facing Manchester United.
Rogers' first goal came from a brilliant finish, curled precisely inside the post from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal acted as a somewhat messier replica of goal number one capitalizing on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.
“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?
Common sense dictates no. Against United, the opponents managed more efforts and more efforts on goal. The team has triumphed in eight consecutive games by a single goal. They’ve conceded in all but one of those games.
Regression to the mean might be the biggest rival the club must confront over the coming weeks. The forward, surely, will not continue to blasting his shots past despairing goalkeepers week in, week out.
Reasons for Optimism
Could it be a different scenario whereby, instead of results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs could still find their top level.
- Ollie Watkins could start scoring again.
- The attacking talent might become the performer he was in Germany.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are set to return from injury, bolstering an occasionally vulnerable defence.
This could contain the possibility for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely can persist in leaning entirely on Morgan Rogers.
Savoring the Moment
However, this is a surprise. It seemed improbable Villa would sit in the top three for the holidays. And without a doubt two months ago, nobody thought the midfielder now would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title while establishing himself as an essential player for the national team.
The current run should be enjoyed for the very reason that it seems so surreal. When Rogers positioned himself before the Villa faithful at the final whistle leading the celebrations, he appeared to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. These runs of form are rare in football and must be appreciated.
