Just two months ago that Morgan Rogers was standing on the pitch at Sunderland, looking confused while his coach admonished him over not reading a through-ball. Back then, as the club went six without a win, doubts remained if his displays were an indicator 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 manager's outburst proved to be much more joyous. As Rogers swept in his brace-sealing goal to reclaim Villa's lead, the boss tore off his winter coat, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. The team marched on to ten wins in a row , despite not winning their initial half-dozen games, are somehow only three points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal.
Is This Team Legitimate Hopefuls?
It remains a rather hard question to address. Past precedent, a general sense of Villa, argues against it. Additionally, their performances haven't been entirely convincing during this run, even as the victories have stacked up.
Per Opta, twice all season has the side had an expected goals figure significantly higher than the other team. For a side who have just won ten consecutive victories, the Villans seem curiously susceptible – but right now the fine lines are going in their favour.
The Rogers Recipe
Their recent policy looks like to engage in a shootout with an opponent and wait for Rogers to save the day with two precise efforts. This occurred at Leeds, it happened at West Ham, and again versus United.
Rogers' first goal came from a superb shot, curled precisely inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of the opener as he pounced 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.”
Can It Last?
Reason suggests otherwise. Against United, the opposition registered more shots and more direct attempts. Villa have secured their last eight victories by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in all except one of those games.
A reversion to average could be the greatest opponent the club will encounter over the coming weeks. Rogers, almost certainly, will not continue to blasting the football into the top corner indefinitely.
Reasons for Optimism
Could it be an alternative path whereby, rather than results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs could still find their top level.
- Ollie Watkins may begin to finding the net regularly.
- The attacking talent could transform into the player he showed in Germany.
- The defensive duo will eventually return from injury, strengthening a sometimes shaky defensive unit.
This could contain the possibility of a title challenge, yet it seems unlikely can persist in leaning entirely on Morgan Rogers.
Savoring the Moment
Yet, this was unforeseen. It seemed improbable Aston Villa would be in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely back in October, few could imagine the young forward by the end of the year would be spearheading a title charge and appearing as an essential player for the national team.
This winning streak should be enjoyed exactly since it appears so improbable. As the hero faced the North End when the game ended conducting the cheers, it was clear to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. These runs of form do not happen often and ought to be celebrated.
