A mere 60 days ago that the young forward found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, seeming perplexed as Unai Emery berated him over missing a through-ball. During that period, with the team endured a six-game winless run, it wasn't clear whether his performances were a sign or the reason of the side's broader struggles.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
In the latest match, though, the touchline reaction was entirely decidedly more positive. As Rogers curled home his brace-sealing goal to reclaim Villa's lead, the boss tore off his jacket, opened his arms and roared. Villa were on their way to a 10th successive win , despite not winning their opening six games, are somehow only three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Serious Hopefuls?
This is a particularly tough proposition to address. The historical record, the traditional standing of the club, suggests not. Moreover, they've rarely been entirely convincing in many games, despite the fact the victories have piled up.
As per statistical analysis, twice all season has the team registered an expected goals figure notably superior than the other team. For a club that have put together a ten-match winning streak, the Villans look weirdly vulnerable – but currently the fine lines are falling their way.
The Winning Formula
The current approach seems to be to exchange chances with rivals before hoping their star man to save the day with some precise efforts. This occurred at Leeds, it occurred in London, and it happened against Manchester United.
His opener stemmed from an exquisite effort, curled precisely inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal acted as a slight scruffier version of his first capitalizing on a pass from Watkins.
“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.”
Is It Sustainable?
Reason suggests otherwise. In the recent win, the opposition registered a greater number of attempts and more shots on target. The team has won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in all but one of those games.
A reversion to average could be the greatest opponent Villa have to face as the season progresses. The forward, almost certainly, will not continue to blasting his shots into the net's top corner forever.
A Case for Belief
Maybe there exists an alternative path in which, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Vital cogs might still find their top level.
- The main striker could start finding the net regularly.
- Jadon Sancho might become the performer he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to return from injury, bolstering a periodically leaky defence.
Maybe within that lies the potential of a title challenge, but they surely can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.
Enjoying the Ride
Yet, this is a surprise. Nobody thought Aston Villa would be in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely earlier this season, nobody thought Rogers as the year closed would be leading a championship pursuit while establishing himself as a crucial player for the national team.
This winning streak is to be savoured exactly since it feels so unlikely. When the match-winner positioned himself before the North End at the final whistle leading the celebrations, he appeared to be loving the experience. A feeling he has rightly earned. Such periods are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.
