Just two months prior when the Villa attacker was standing on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered as his coach berated him for not reading a penetrating pass. At that point, as the club failed to win in six, the question was whether his displays were an indicator or a cause for Villa's more general malaise.
“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 much more joyous. As the England international drilled in his brace-sealing goal to restore the lead for Villa, Emery ripped off his jacket, spread his arms and shouted in triumph. Villa marched on to a tenth straight victory and having failed to win their opening six fixtures, find themselves a mere three points adrift of the leaders Arsenal.
Is This Team Serious Title Contenders?
It remains a particularly tough proposition to address. History, a general sense of the club, indicates otherwise. Moreover, they have not been wholly dominant in many games, despite the fact the wins have piled up.
Per Opta, twice all season have Villa had an xG significantly higher than the opposition. For a club which has just won a ten-match winning streak, Villa look strangely fragile – however currently the tight outcomes are going in their favour.
The Rogers Recipe
Their recent policy appears to be to exchange chances with an opponent before hoping Rogers to bail them out with two precise efforts. This occurred away to Leeds, it happened against West Ham, and it happened against United.
His opener stemmed from a superb shot, arced precisely inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. The follow-up goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one capitalizing on a setup by his strike partner.
“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.”
How Long Can This Continue?
Logic says not. In the recent win, the opposition registered a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. The team has won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. They have allowed goals in nearly all of those fixtures.
A statistical correction might be the most significant challenge they have to face over the coming weeks. The forward, almost certainly, will not continue to thrashing the football into the net's top corner forever.
Potential for Growth
Maybe there exists another reality in which, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, the level of play rises to match the results. Vital cogs could still return to peak condition.
- The centre-forward could start scoring again.
- Jadon Sancho could transform into the performer he was in Germany.
- The injured centre-backs will eventually come back from the treatment room, fortifying an occasionally vulnerable defensive unit.
Maybe within that lies the seeds of a genuine bid, but they surely cannot keep relying on Morgan Rogers.
Relishing the Unlikely
Yet, this is a surprise. It seemed improbable Aston Villa would be in a Champions League place in December. And without a doubt back in October, no one envisioned Rogers now would be spearheading a championship pursuit and appearing as an essential Three Lions star.
This remarkable period must be cherished for the very reason that it seems so surreal. As the hero stood in front of the home supporters after the match leading the celebrations, it was clear to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. Such periods are rare in football and should be relished.
