A mere 60 days in the past when Morgan Rogers stood on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered as Unai Emery admonished him for not reading a through-ball. Back then, as the club endured a six-game winless run, it wasn't clear if his displays were an indicator or a cause for the team'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 touchline reaction was entirely much more joyous. After the in-form star curled home his second strike to restore his side's advantage, the Spanish tactician tore off his coat, opened his arms and shouted in triumph. The Birmingham club continued to ten wins in a row , despite not winning their opening six matches, now sit only three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Genuine Hopefuls?
This is a rather hard proposition to address. Past precedent, the traditional standing of Villa, argues against it. Additionally, they've rarely been wholly dominant this season, while the positive results have accumulated.
Per statistical analysis, in only two games have Villa had an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a team that have strung together ten consecutive victories, they look weirdly vulnerable – but right now the margins are falling their way.
The Winning Formula
The prevailing tactic appears to be to exchange chances with the opposition and wait for their star man to rescue them with some crisp finishes. This occurred at Leeds, it happened in London, and again when facing the Red Devils.
His opener came from a superb shot, bent just inside the goal frame from a wide position. For his second proved to be a somewhat messier replica of goal number one capitalizing on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.
“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, the opposition registered more shots and more shots on target. The team has secured their last eight victories by just one goal. The defence has been breached in all but one of those fixtures.
Regression to the mean may well be the biggest rival the club must confront as the season progresses. Rogers, almost certainly, cannot maintain drilling the football past despairing goalkeepers week in, week out.
Potential for Growth
Perhaps there is a different scenario in which, instead of luck running out, the level of play rises to match the results. Vital cogs may yet rediscover their best form.
- The main striker may begin to adding to his goal tally.
- Jadon Sancho might become the performer he resembled during his peak.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will eventually return from injury, bolstering an occasionally vulnerable defensive unit.
Perhaps there is in that the possibility of a title challenge, but they surely can continue to depend solely on one man.
Enjoying the Ride
Yet, nobody expected this. It seemed improbable the team would be in the top three for the holidays. And without a doubt earlier this season, no one envisioned the young forward now would be leading a title charge and appearing as a vital England player.
The current run should be enjoyed for the very reason that it appears so improbable. When Rogers faced the home supporters when the game ended conducting the cheers, he appeared to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. These spells do not happen often and ought to be celebrated.
