It was 60 days prior when Morgan Rogers stood on the Sunderland turf, looking confused as the Villa manager scolded him over missing a pass in behind. During that period, as the club failed to win in six, the question was whether his performances were a sign or a cause for the side's more general malaise.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
This weekend, though, the touchline reaction was much more joyous. As Rogers swept in his second to reinstate the lead for Villa, Emery ripped off his coat, opened his arms and roared. The team marched on to a tenth straight victory , after failing to win their opening six games, are somehow just three points off pace-setters Arsenal.
Is This Team Legitimate Hopefuls?
That’s a rather hard proposition to resolve. History, the perceived status of this institution, argues against it. Furthermore, they have not been wholly dominant this season, even as the positive results have stacked up.
According to Opta, twice all season has the team had an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a club who have just won ten consecutive victories, Villa seem weirdly vulnerable – yet right now the tight outcomes are going in their favour.
The Winning Formula
The prevailing tactic appears to be to engage in a shootout with rivals before hoping Rogers to bail them out with two clinical strikes. It happened at Leeds, it transpired in London, and again versus the Red Devils.
Rogers' first goal stemmed from a brilliant finish, arced precisely inside the post from the corner of the box. The follow-up goal was essentially a somewhat messier replica of his first 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, Manchester United registered a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. The team has secured their last eight victories by just one goal. The defence has been breached in nearly all of those games.
A statistical correction might be the most significant challenge they have to face as the season progresses. The forward, in all likelihood, cannot keep on drilling the ball past despairing goalkeepers week in, week out.
Potential for Growth
Could it be a different scenario in which, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, the level of play rises to match the results. Important figures may yet find their top level.
- Ollie Watkins could start scoring again.
- The winger could transform into the performer he was in Germany.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to return from injury, bolstering a periodically leaky backline.
This could contain the seeds for a sustained push, but they surely can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.
Enjoying the Ride
But then, nobody expected this. Few believed the team would sit in a Champions League place in December. And certainly earlier this season, few could imagine Rogers now would be spearheading a championship pursuit while looking like a crucial Three Lions star.
This remarkable period should be enjoyed exactly since it seems so surreal. As the match-winner stood in front of the home supporters when the game ended leading the celebrations, he seemed to be relishing every moment. Which he fully merits. Such periods are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.
