A mere 60 days in the past that Morgan Rogers was standing on the Stadium of Light pitch, looking confused while the Villa manager admonished him over failing to anticipate a pass in behind. Back then, with the team endured a six-game winless run, the question was if his performances were a symptom or the source for Villa's wider issues.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
On Sunday, however, the touchline reaction was much more joyous. After Rogers curled home his second to restore Villa's lead, the Spanish tactician discarded his jacket, spread his arms and roared. The Birmingham club continued to a tenth straight victory , after failing to win their initial half-dozen matches, find themselves just three points off the leaders Arsenal.
Is This Team Genuine Challengers?
This is an exceptionally difficult question to answer. The historical record, the traditional standing of Villa, indicates otherwise. Additionally, their performances haven't been completely commanding in many games, even as the positive results have stacked up.
Per Opta, in only two games have Villa posted an xG notably superior than the other team. For a team who have strung together 10 in a row, they seem weirdly vulnerable – however at the moment the fine lines are going in their favour.
The Winning Formula
Their recent policy looks like to exchange chances with rivals and wait for Rogers to bail them out with a couple of crisp finishes. It happened away to Leeds, it happened in London, and it happened against Manchester United.
His opener came from a superb shot, bent right inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal was essentially a somewhat messier replica of goal number one capitalizing 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?
Reason suggests otherwise. Against United, Manchester United registered more efforts and more direct attempts. Villa have triumphed in eight consecutive games by just one goal. The defence has been breached in all except one of those matches.
A reversion to average may well be the most significant challenge the club will encounter in the near future. Rogers, in all likelihood, will not continue to thrashing the ball into the top corner forever.
Potential for Growth
Maybe there exists another reality where, instead of results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players could still return to peak condition.
- Ollie Watkins could start adding to his goal tally.
- The attacking talent could transform into the player he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will eventually return from injury, strengthening a sometimes shaky defensive unit.
Perhaps there is in that the seeds of a title challenge, however, it is improbable can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.
Savoring the Moment
But then, nobody expected this. It seemed improbable the team would be third at Christmas. And without a doubt back in October, nobody thought Rogers now would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title while establishing himself as a vital England player.
The current run should be enjoyed for the very reason that it seems so surreal. As Rogers stood in front of the Villa faithful at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, it was clear to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. These runs of form are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.
