It was two months in the past that Morgan Rogers stood on the Sunderland turf, looking confused as the Villa manager admonished him for not reading a through-ball. Back then, with the team went six without a win, the question was whether Rogers' form were a symptom or the reason of the side's broader struggles.
“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”
In the latest match, in contrast, the manager's outburst was far more favourable. As the in-form star curled home his brace-sealing goal to reinstate his side's advantage, Emery discarded his coat, opened his arms and bellowed. The Birmingham club were on their way to ten wins in a row , despite not winning their initial half-dozen games, are somehow a mere three points behind the leaders Arsenal.
Are They Legitimate Title Contenders?
That’s a particularly tough query to answer. History, a general sense of this institution, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, they've rarely been wholly dominant this season, despite the fact the positive results have piled up.
As per the data, on just two occasions have Villa registered an xG notably superior than the opposition. For a club who have just won a ten-match winning streak, the Villans appear curiously susceptible – but currently the margins are going in their favour.
The Winning Formula
The current approach appears to be to exchange chances with an opponent and wait for their star man to save the day with a couple of precise efforts. This occurred away to Leeds, it occurred against West Ham, and again against Manchester United.
Rogers' first goal came from a superb shot, bent right inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. The follow-up goal acted as a somewhat messier replica of goal number one as he pounced 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.”
Is It Sustainable?
Reason suggests otherwise. In the recent win, Manchester United managed more efforts and more efforts on goal. Villa have secured their last eight victories by just one goal. They have allowed goals in all but one of those matches.
A reversion to average could be the greatest opponent Villa have to face as the season progresses. Rogers, almost certainly, cannot keep on drilling the football into the net's top corner forever.
Reasons for Optimism
Maybe there exists a different scenario where, rather than luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs might still rediscover their best form.
- The main striker might resume finding the net regularly.
- The attacking talent might become the performer he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to come back from the treatment room, bolstering a periodically leaky backline.
Perhaps there is in that the potential for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on a single individual.
Relishing the Unlikely
Yet, nobody expected this. It seemed improbable Aston Villa would be in a Champions League place in December. And without a doubt back in October, nobody thought Rogers now would be spearheading a title charge while looking like a vital player for the national team.
This remarkable period is to be savoured precisely because it feels so unlikely. When Rogers stood in front of the North End after the match orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. These spells do not happen often and should be relished.
