A mere eight weeks prior when the Villa attacker was standing on the Stadium of Light pitch, looking confused as his coach admonished him over not reading a penetrating pass. During that period, with the team endured a six-game winless run, it wasn't clear if his displays were a symptom or the source of the team's more general malaise.
“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”
This weekend, in contrast, the manager's outburst was entirely decidedly more positive. After Rogers swept in his second to reinstate Villa's lead, the boss discarded his jacket, opened his arms and shouted in triumph. The Birmingham club continued to a 10th successive win and despite not winning any of their first six matches, are somehow a mere three points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal.
Is This Team Genuine Hopefuls?
That’s a rather hard query to address. The historical record, the perceived status of this institution, suggests not. Moreover, they have not been wholly dominant in many games, despite the fact the positive results have stacked up.
Per Opta, on just two occasions has the team had an xG significantly higher than their opponents. For a team who have put together a ten-match winning streak, Villa seem weirdly vulnerable – however currently the tight outcomes are going in their favour.
The Winning Formula
The prevailing tactic appears to be to exchange chances with an opponent before hoping their talisman to rescue them with two clinical strikes. This occurred away to Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and once more against United.
The initial strike stemmed from an exquisite effort, bent right inside the upright from a wide position. His brace-completing goal proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one as he pounced on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.
“Much like Robben with his left, Rogers’ right foot has become a known threat that remains brutally unstoppable, regardless of anticipation.”
Can It Last?
Logic says not. Against United, the opponents had more efforts and more efforts on goal. The team has triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in all but one of those matches.
A statistical correction could be the greatest opponent Villa have to face over the coming weeks. Their key man, in all likelihood, cannot keep on thrashing the ball past despairing goalkeepers week in, week out.
Potential for Growth
Could it be a different scenario in which, instead of results trending towards performances, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Vital cogs might still find their top level.
- The main striker might resume finding the net regularly.
- Jadon Sancho could transform into the player he showed in Germany.
- The defensive duo are set to return from injury, strengthening a periodically leaky defence.
Maybe within that lies the potential of a genuine bid, but they surely can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.
Enjoying the Ride
However, nobody expected this. Nobody thought the team would occupy third at Christmas. And without a doubt back in October, nobody thought the young forward now would be spearheading a hunt for the title while looking like a vital Three Lions star.
The current run should be enjoyed precisely because it feels so unlikely. When the hero faced the North End at the final whistle conducting the cheers, he appeared to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. Such periods are rare in football and must be appreciated.
