A mere two months in the past when Morgan Rogers stood on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered while the Villa manager admonished him over missing a through-ball. At that point, as the club went six without a win, the question was whether his performances were an indicator or the reason of Villa's broader struggles.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
In the latest match, though, the sideline response was much more joyous. After the in-form star drilled in his second to reclaim Villa's lead, Emery ripped off his winter coat, spread his arms and bellowed. The team were on their way to a 10th successive win and after failing to win their initial half-dozen games, are somehow a mere three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.
Is This Team Legitimate Challengers?
It remains a rather hard query to answer. History, the traditional standing of Villa, suggests not. Additionally, they have not been wholly dominant in many games, despite the fact the wins have piled up.
Per statistical analysis, in only two games have Villa had an xG more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a club that have strung together a ten-match winning streak, Villa appear curiously susceptible – yet at the moment the tight outcomes are going in their favour.
The Rogers Recipe
Their recent policy seems to be to exchange chances with the opposition and wait for Rogers to bail them out with some precise efforts. It happened away to Leeds, it occurred against West Ham, and once more versus the Red Devils.
His opener stemmed from an exquisite effort, curled right inside the upright from the corner of the box. For his second acted as a slight scruffier version of goal number one as he pounced on a setup by his strike partner.
“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.”
Is It Sustainable?
Logic says not. Against United, the opposition registered a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. The team has triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those matches.
A reversion to average might be the most significant challenge Villa have to face in the near future. Their key man, almost certainly, will not continue to drilling the football into the top corner indefinitely.
Potential for Growth
Perhaps there is an alternative path in which, rather than luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players could still find their top level.
- The centre-forward may begin to scoring again.
- The attacking talent might become the performer he was in Germany.
- The defensive duo are set to regain fitness, fortifying an occasionally vulnerable defence.
This could contain the possibility of a title challenge, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on Morgan Rogers.
Savoring the Moment
But then, this was unforeseen. Few believed Aston Villa would occupy in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely back in October, no one envisioned the young forward now would be spearheading a championship pursuit while establishing himself as a crucial player for the national team.
The current run must be cherished exactly since it feels so unlikely. When the match-winner faced the Villa faithful when the game ended leading the celebrations, he appeared to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. These spells are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.
