A mere eight weeks prior that the young forward stood on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered while Unai Emery berated him for missing a pass in behind. At that point, as Villa failed to win in six, the question was whether his displays were a sign or a cause of Villa's wider issues.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
In the latest match, though, the manager's outburst was far more favourable. As Rogers swept in his brace-sealing goal to restore the lead for Villa, Emery ripped off his jacket, opened his arms and roared. The team continued to a tenth straight victory and having failed to win any of their first six games, find themselves only three points behind the leaders Arsenal.
Is This Team Genuine Hopefuls?
That’s an exceptionally difficult query to address. The historical record, the perceived status of this institution, indicates otherwise. Moreover, they've rarely been wholly dominant this season, despite the fact the wins have stacked up.
Per the data, on just two occasions has the team registered an expected goals figure significantly higher than their opponents. For a team who have strung together ten consecutive victories, Villa look curiously susceptible – however currently the margins are going in their favour.
The Winning Formula
Their recent policy appears to be to exchange chances with the opposition before hoping their star man to bail them out with some clinical strikes. This was the case away to Leeds, it happened at West Ham, and it happened against Manchester United.
Rogers' first goal stemmed from a brilliant finish, curled precisely inside the post from the edge of the area. For his second proved to be a somewhat messier replica of goal number one capitalizing on a setup by his strike partner.
“Much like Robben with his left, Rogers’ right foot has become a known threat that remains brutally unstoppable, regardless of anticipation.”
How Long Can This Continue?
Reason suggests otherwise. Against United, the opposition registered a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. Villa have triumphed in eight consecutive games by a single goal. The defence has been breached in nearly all of those fixtures.
A statistical correction may well be the biggest rival they will encounter over the coming weeks. The forward, almost certainly, cannot keep on thrashing the ball past despairing goalkeepers forever.
A Case for Belief
Maybe there exists another reality whereby, rather than results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players might still find their top level.
- The centre-forward might resume finding the net regularly.
- The winger might become the force he resembled during his peak.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will eventually regain fitness, strengthening a periodically leaky backline.
This could contain the possibility for a sustained push, but they surely cannot keep relying on Morgan Rogers.
Enjoying the Ride
However, nobody expected this. Few believed Villa would sit in a Champions League place in December. And certainly back in October, no one envisioned Rogers by the end of the year would be leading a title charge and appearing as a vital England player.
This remarkable period should be enjoyed exactly since it seems so surreal. As the match-winner stood in front of the North End at the final whistle conducting the cheers, he appeared to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. Such periods are rare in football and should be relished.
