Just two months in the past when Morgan Rogers was standing on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered while the Villa manager admonished him for not reading a penetrating pass. At that point, with the team failed to win in six, it wasn't clear if his performances were an indicator or a cause of the team's wider issues.
“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”
This weekend, though, the manager's outburst was entirely much more joyous. As the England international curled home his second strike to reinstate his side's advantage, the Spanish tactician discarded his jacket, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. Villa continued to ten wins in a row and having failed to win any of their first six fixtures, find themselves just three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Legitimate Hopefuls?
This is a particularly tough query to address. The historical record, the perceived status of the club, suggests not. Moreover, they've rarely been wholly dominant in many games, even as the positive results have piled up.
Per the data, on just two occasions have Villa posted an expected goals figure notably superior than their opponents. For a side which has strung together a ten-match winning streak, they look strangely fragile – but right now the margins are swinging for them.
The Rogers Recipe
The current approach appears to be to trade blows with the opposition and wait for Rogers to bail them out with two crisp finishes. It happened at Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and once more against the Red Devils.
His opener originated from a brilliant finish, arced right inside the goal frame from a wide position. His brace-completing goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration of the opener as he pounced on a setup by his strike partner.
“Rogers’ right foot is now akin to Robben’s legendary left: forewarned does not mean forearmed, and stopping him is another matter entirely.”
Can It Last?
Reason suggests otherwise. Against United, Manchester United managed more shots and more direct attempts. They have won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in all except one of those matches.
A reversion to average might be the greatest opponent the club have to face as the season progresses. Their key man, almost certainly, cannot keep on blasting the football into the top corner week in, week out.
A Case for Belief
Maybe there exists a different scenario whereby, instead of luck running out, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Key players may yet rediscover their best form.
- The main striker might resume scoring again.
- Jadon Sancho could transform into the player he showed in Germany.
- The defensive duo are due to regain fitness, strengthening a sometimes shaky defensive unit.
Perhaps there is in that the possibility of a genuine bid, but they surely can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.
Enjoying the Ride
But then, nobody expected this. It seemed improbable Villa would sit in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely earlier this season, no one envisioned the midfielder now would be spearheading a championship pursuit while establishing himself as an essential player for the national team.
This remarkable period should be enjoyed exactly since it feels so unlikely. As Rogers faced the Villa faithful at the final whistle leading the celebrations, it was clear to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. These spells are uncommon in the sport and ought to be celebrated.
