It was eight weeks ago that Morgan Rogers found himself on the Sunderland turf, looking confused as his coach berated him for missing a penetrating pass. During that period, as Villa endured a six-game winless run, the question was whether his displays were a sign or the source for the team's broader struggles.
“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 proved to be far more favourable. As the England international swept in his second strike to reclaim Villa's lead, the boss ripped off his winter coat, threw his arms wide and roared. The team continued to a 10th successive win , despite not winning their initial half-dozen matches, are somehow only three points behind the leaders Arsenal.
Is This Team Legitimate Title Contenders?
That’s a rather hard query to address. History, a general sense of the club, suggests not. Moreover, they have not been wholly dominant during this run, while the victories have accumulated.
Per statistical analysis, twice all season has the team registered an expected goals figure notably superior than the other team. For a team that have strung together a ten-match winning streak, they appear strangely fragile – but right now the tight outcomes are going in their favour.
The Reliant Strategy
Their recent policy looks like to trade blows with rivals before hoping their talisman to rescue them with a couple of crisp finishes. This occurred away to Leeds, it occurred in London, and again against the Red Devils.
Rogers' first goal stemmed from an exquisite effort, curled right inside the upright from the corner of the box. For his second was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one as he pounced 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?
Logic says not. During the latest victory, the opponents managed a greater number of attempts and more shots on target. They have triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those games.
A reversion to average might be the greatest opponent the club will encounter in the near future. The forward, in all likelihood, will not continue to blasting the football into the net's top corner week in, week out.
Reasons for Optimism
Perhaps there is another reality in which, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, the level of play rises to match the results. Vital cogs might still return to peak condition.
- Ollie Watkins may begin to adding to his goal tally.
- The attacking talent could transform into the player he showed during his peak.
- The injured centre-backs will eventually regain fitness, strengthening a periodically leaky defence.
This could contain the potential of a title challenge, yet it seems unlikely can persist in leaning entirely on Morgan Rogers.
Enjoying the Ride
But then, this was unforeseen. Nobody thought Villa would sit in a Champions League place in December. And certainly back in October, nobody thought Rogers as the year closed would be spearheading a championship pursuit while looking like a crucial player for the national team.
This winning streak must be cherished precisely because it feels so unlikely. As Rogers positioned himself before the North End at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. Such periods are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.
