Just two months ago that the Villa attacker stood on the Stadium of Light pitch, looking confused while the Villa manager berated him for missing a through-ball. At that point, as the club went six without a win, doubts remained if his displays were an indicator or the source for the team's broader struggles.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
On Sunday, in contrast, the sideline response was entirely much more joyous. As the England international swept in his second to reclaim his side's advantage, Emery tore off his winter coat, opened his arms and bellowed. Villa marched on to a 10th successive win , after failing to win their initial half-dozen games, find themselves a mere three points adrift of the leaders Arsenal.
Is This Team Genuine Hopefuls?
This is a rather hard proposition to address. The historical record, the traditional standing of the club, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, they have not been completely commanding in many games, while the wins have accumulated.
As per the data, on just two occasions have Villa registered an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a side who have just won 10 in a row, they look strangely fragile – however at the moment the tight outcomes are falling their way.
The Winning Formula
The current approach looks like to engage in a shootout with the opposition and then rely on their talisman to rescue them with a couple of clinical strikes. It happened away to Leeds, it transpired in London, and again versus the Red Devils.
The initial strike originated from an exquisite effort, bent precisely inside the goal frame from the corner of the box. For his second proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one capitalizing on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.
“Much like Robben with his left, Rogers’ right foot has become a known threat that remains brutally unstoppable, regardless of anticipation.”
How Long Can This Continue?
Logic says not. During the latest victory, Manchester United registered more shots and more shots on target. They have won each of their last eight by just one goal. The defence has been breached in all but one of those matches.
A statistical correction may well be the most significant challenge the club will encounter in the near future. Rogers, almost certainly, will not continue to thrashing the football past despairing goalkeepers forever.
Potential for Growth
Could it be another reality where, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, the level of play rises to match the results. Important figures might still return to peak condition.
- The main striker might resume scoring again.
- The attacking talent could transform into the player he was during his peak.
- The injured centre-backs are set to regain fitness, fortifying a periodically leaky backline.
This could contain the possibility of a genuine bid, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on Morgan Rogers.
Relishing the Unlikely
Yet, this is a surprise. Nobody thought Aston Villa would be third at Christmas. And most definitely back in October, few could imagine Rogers now would be leading a hunt for the title and appearing as a vital player for the national team.
The current run should be enjoyed exactly since it feels so unlikely. As the match-winner positioned himself before the Villa faithful after the match conducting the cheers, it was clear to be thoroughly enjoying it. Which he fully merits. Such periods are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.
