It was eight weeks prior that the Villa attacker found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, seeming perplexed while the Villa manager scolded him over failing to anticipate a penetrating pass. During that period, as the club went six without a win, the question was if his displays were an indicator or the source for the side's more general malaise.
“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”
This weekend, however, the touchline reaction was entirely far more favourable. When Rogers curled home his brace-sealing goal to restore Villa's lead, the Spanish tactician discarded his jacket, spread his arms and roared. Villa continued to a tenth straight victory , despite not winning any of their first six games, now sit just three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.
Are They Serious Title Contenders?
This is a particularly tough proposition to answer. Past precedent, the perceived status of the club, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, they've rarely been completely commanding during this run, despite the fact the positive results have stacked up.
As per the data, twice all season has the side registered an xG significantly higher than their opponents. For a club that have strung together 10 in a row, Villa appear strangely fragile – yet at the moment the tight outcomes are swinging for them.
The Winning Formula
The current approach appears to be to trade blows with rivals and wait for their talisman to bail them out with some clinical strikes. This occurred at Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and once more against Manchester United.
His opener came from a brilliant finish, curled just inside the upright from the corner of the box. For his second proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of the opener capitalizing on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.
“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?
Logic says not. Against United, the opposition had more efforts and more shots on target. Villa have won each of their last eight by just one goal. They have allowed goals in nearly all of those matches.
A reversion to average may well be the greatest opponent Villa must confront as the season progresses. Their key man, almost certainly, cannot keep on blasting the football past despairing goalkeepers forever.
Potential for Growth
Perhaps there is another reality in which, rather than results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures might still return to peak condition.
- The centre-forward might resume scoring again.
- The attacking talent may rediscover the player he resembled during his peak.
- The injured centre-backs will eventually come back from the treatment room, strengthening a sometimes shaky defence.
Maybe within that lies the seeds of a title challenge, however, it is improbable cannot keep relying on Morgan Rogers.
Enjoying the Ride
But then, this is a surprise. It seemed improbable Aston Villa would sit third at Christmas. And without a doubt two months ago, few could imagine the young forward as the year closed would be leading a title charge and appearing as a vital player for the national team.
This winning streak must be cherished for the very reason that it appears so improbable. As Rogers stood in front of the North End when the game ended leading the celebrations, he appeared to be loving the experience. A feeling he has rightly earned. These runs of form are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.
