Just eight weeks in the past that Morgan Rogers found himself on the pitch at Sunderland, seeming perplexed as Unai Emery admonished him for not reading a through-ball. During that period, as Villa endured a six-game winless run, doubts remained if Rogers' form were an indicator or the source of Villa's more general malaise.
“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”
On Sunday, however, the sideline response proved to be much more joyous. As Rogers swept in his brace-sealing goal to restore the lead for Villa, Emery ripped off his jacket, opened his arms and shouted in triumph. The team marched on to ten wins in a row , despite not winning their initial half-dozen fixtures, find themselves only three points adrift of the leaders Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Serious Challengers?
That’s a particularly tough query to resolve. Past precedent, a general sense of the club, indicates otherwise. Additionally, they have not been wholly dominant during this run, despite the fact the victories have piled up.
Per Opta, in only two games has the side had an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a team which has just won ten consecutive victories, Villa look weirdly vulnerable – but right now the margins are going in their favour.
The Reliant Strategy
The prevailing tactic appears to be to exchange chances with rivals before hoping Rogers to rescue them with a couple of crisp finishes. This was the case against Leeds, it happened against West Ham, and it happened versus Manchester United.
Rogers' first goal stemmed from a superb shot, bent just inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. The follow-up goal proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of the opener capitalizing 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.”
How Long Can This Continue?
Common sense dictates no. During the latest victory, the opposition registered more shots and more shots on target. Villa have secured their last eight victories by just one goal. They’ve conceded in all except one of those games.
A reversion to average may well be the most significant challenge Villa must confront over the coming weeks. Their key man, surely, will not continue to blasting the ball past despairing goalkeepers week in, week out.
Reasons for Optimism
Could it be a different scenario in which, instead of results trending towards performances, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Vital cogs may yet return to peak condition.
- The centre-forward could start finding the net regularly.
- The winger could transform into the player he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
- The defensive duo are due to return from injury, bolstering a sometimes shaky backline.
Perhaps there is in that the potential for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.
Savoring the Moment
However, this was unforeseen. It seemed improbable Villa would sit in the top three for the holidays. And certainly earlier this season, no one envisioned the young forward by the end of the year would be leading a title charge while looking like a crucial England player.
This remarkable period is to be savoured precisely because it appears so improbable. When the match-winner stood in front of the Villa faithful at the final whistle conducting the cheers, it was clear to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. These runs of form do not happen often and must be appreciated.
