It was two months ago when the young forward stood on the pitch at Sunderland, looking confused while his coach berated him for failing to anticipate a penetrating pass. During that period, as Villa went six without a win, the question was if his performances were a sign or the reason for the side's broader struggles.
“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 far more favourable. When the England international drilled in his brace-sealing goal to reclaim the lead for Villa, Emery discarded his winter coat, opened his arms and roared. The team marched on to ten wins in a row , despite not winning any of their first six fixtures, are somehow only three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Genuine Hopefuls?
It remains an exceptionally difficult query to address. History, a general sense of this institution, indicates otherwise. Moreover, their performances haven't been completely commanding in many games, despite the fact the wins have piled up.
As per Opta, twice all season has the side registered an expected goals figure notably superior than their opponents. For a side who have strung together 10 in a row, they look strangely fragile – but currently the margins are falling their way.
The Reliant Strategy
Their recent policy seems to be to exchange chances with rivals before hoping their star man to rescue them with some crisp finishes. This was the case against Leeds, it transpired at West Ham, and again versus Manchester United.
His opener came from a brilliant finish, bent precisely inside the upright from a wide position. His brace-completing goal proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of the opener as he seized 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 managed a greater number of attempts and more efforts on goal. 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 matches.
Regression to the mean may well be the most significant challenge the club must confront over the coming weeks. The forward, in all likelihood, cannot keep on thrashing the football past despairing goalkeepers forever.
A Case for Belief
Maybe there exists another reality whereby, rather than results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs may yet find their top level.
- The centre-forward might resume adding to his goal tally.
- Jadon Sancho might become the force he was at Borussia Dortmund.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are set to return from injury, fortifying a sometimes shaky defence.
This could contain the seeds of a genuine bid, however, it is improbable can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.
Enjoying the Ride
Yet, nobody expected this. Nobody thought Villa would sit in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely back in October, nobody thought Rogers by the end of the year would be leading a championship pursuit while looking like a crucial player for the national team.
This remarkable period should be enjoyed for the very reason that it seems so surreal. As Rogers positioned himself before the Villa faithful at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. These spells do not happen often and should be relished.
