It was 60 days in the past that the young forward was standing on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered while the Villa manager scolded him over not reading a penetrating pass. At that point, as Villa went six without a win, it wasn't clear if his displays were an indicator or a cause of Villa's broader struggles.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
This weekend, though, the manager's outburst was entirely decidedly more positive. When the in-form star curled home his second strike to reinstate Villa's lead, Emery ripped off his winter coat, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. Villa marched on to a tenth straight victory and having failed to win any of their first six fixtures, now sit a mere three points adrift of pace-setters Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Genuine Challengers?
This is a rather hard question to resolve. Past precedent, a general sense of the club, argues against it. Additionally, they've rarely been entirely convincing this season, even as the wins have accumulated.
Per Opta, on just two occasions has the team had an xG more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a side that have strung together 10 in a row, the Villans seem strangely fragile – but currently the margins are falling their way.
The Reliant Strategy
The current approach looks like to exchange chances with an opponent before hoping their talisman to save the day with a couple of clinical strikes. This was the case away to Leeds, it happened in London, and once more against the Red Devils.
Rogers' first goal came from an exquisite effort, curled precisely inside the post from a wide position. The follow-up goal proved to be a slight scruffier version of his first capitalizing on a pass from Watkins.
“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?
Common sense dictates no. Against United, the opposition registered more efforts and more shots on target. They have triumphed in eight consecutive games by just one goal. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those fixtures.
A statistical correction might be the biggest rival the club must confront over the coming weeks. Rogers, in all likelihood, cannot maintain blasting the ball into the net's top corner indefinitely.
Reasons for Optimism
Maybe there exists an alternative path in which, instead of luck running out, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Key players could still rediscover their best form.
- The main striker could start finding the net regularly.
- Jadon Sancho may rediscover the force he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
- The injured centre-backs will eventually return from injury, bolstering a periodically leaky backline.
This could contain the potential of a genuine bid, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on Morgan Rogers.
Enjoying the Ride
But then, this was unforeseen. Few believed the team would sit third at Christmas. And without a doubt back in October, no one envisioned the midfielder now would be spearheading a title charge while looking like a crucial England player.
The current run is to be savoured exactly since it seems so surreal. When Rogers stood in front of the North End when the game ended orchestrating the applause, he seemed to be loving the experience. A feeling he has rightly earned. Such periods are uncommon in the sport and should be relished.
