It was eight weeks ago that the Villa attacker was standing on the Sunderland turf, seeming perplexed as the Villa manager admonished him for not reading a penetrating pass. At that point, as the club failed to win in six, the question was if his performances were an indicator or a cause for the side'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, though, the manager's outburst was far more favourable. When the in-form star swept in his second to reinstate his side's advantage, Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. Villa were on their way to a 10th successive win , having failed to win their initial half-dozen matches, now sit just three points adrift of pace-setters Arsenal.
Is This Team Serious Challengers?
It remains a rather hard question to address. Past precedent, a general sense of the club, suggests not. Moreover, their performances haven't been completely commanding during this run, while the victories have stacked up.
According to the data, on just two occasions have Villa registered an expected goals figure notably superior than their opponents. For a club that have just won ten consecutive victories, Villa appear strangely fragile – however currently the margins are going in their favour.
The Rogers Recipe
Their recent policy looks like to trade blows with an opponent and wait for Rogers to rescue them with two crisp finishes. It happened away to Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and once more against United.
Rogers' first goal originated from an exquisite effort, bent right inside the post from the edge of the area. For his second acted as a somewhat messier replica of goal number one capitalizing on a pass from Watkins.
“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?
Logic says not. Against United, Manchester United had a greater number of attempts and more efforts on goal. They have won each of their last eight by a single goal. The defence has been breached in all except one of those fixtures.
A reversion to average might be the most significant challenge they must confront over the coming weeks. The forward, almost certainly, cannot keep on thrashing the football into the net's top corner indefinitely.
A Case for Belief
Perhaps there is an alternative path whereby, instead of results trending towards performances, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Vital cogs might still find their top level.
- Ollie Watkins may begin to adding to his goal tally.
- The winger may rediscover the performer he resembled in Germany.
- The injured centre-backs are set to return from injury, bolstering a sometimes shaky defensive unit.
This could contain the possibility for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely can persist in leaning entirely on Morgan Rogers.
Enjoying the Ride
However, this was unforeseen. Few believed Aston Villa would occupy in a Champions League place in December. And certainly back in October, nobody thought the young forward by the end of the year would be spearheading a hunt for the title and appearing as an essential player for the national team.
This remarkable period should be enjoyed exactly since it feels so unlikely. When Rogers positioned himself before the home supporters at the final whistle leading the celebrations, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. Which he fully merits. These spells are rare in football and should be relished.
