It was eight weeks ago that the young forward stood on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered as the Villa manager admonished him for not reading a penetrating pass. During that period, as Villa went six without a win, the question was if his performances were a symptom or a cause of the side's wider issues.
“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”
In the latest match, though, the manager's outburst proved to be decidedly more positive. As the in-form star swept in his second to reinstate Villa's lead, the Spanish tactician tore off his winter coat, opened his arms and bellowed. Villa were on their way to a tenth straight victory and despite not winning their opening six matches, find themselves a mere three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.
Is This Team Genuine Hopefuls?
It remains a particularly tough proposition to address. Past precedent, a general sense of the club, suggests not. Furthermore, their performances haven't been entirely convincing in many games, despite the fact the wins have accumulated.
According to Opta, on just two occasions has the team registered an expected goals figure notably superior than their opponents. For a team which has just won ten consecutive victories, Villa appear curiously susceptible – but right now the fine lines are swinging for them.
The Rogers Recipe
The prevailing tactic appears to be to engage in a shootout with the opposition before hoping their star man to rescue them with some clinical strikes. It happened away to Leeds, it occurred in London, and once more against Manchester United.
The initial strike stemmed from a brilliant finish, curled just inside the goal frame from a wide position. The follow-up goal was essentially a slight scruffier version of the opener capitalizing 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.”
Is It Sustainable?
Reason suggests otherwise. Against United, the opposition managed more shots and more shots on target. They have secured their last eight victories by a single goal. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those games.
A statistical correction might be the biggest rival Villa must confront as the season progresses. Their key man, in all likelihood, will not continue to blasting the football into the net's top corner indefinitely.
Reasons for Optimism
Could it be a different scenario in which, instead of luck running out, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Key players might still return to peak condition.
- Ollie Watkins might resume scoring again.
- The attacking talent might become the player he was at Borussia Dortmund.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will eventually return from injury, strengthening an occasionally vulnerable defensive unit.
Maybe within that lies the seeds for a sustained push, however, it is improbable can persist in leaning entirely on Morgan Rogers.
Enjoying the Ride
But then, this was unforeseen. Few believed the team would be in the top three for the holidays. And without a doubt two months ago, nobody thought the young forward as the year closed would be spearheading a title charge while looking like a vital England player.
This winning streak must be cherished exactly since it appears so improbable. When the match-winner positioned himself before the Villa faithful when the game ended orchestrating the applause, he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it. Which he fully merits. These runs of form are uncommon in the sport and should be relished.
