Just eight weeks prior when Morgan Rogers stood on the Sunderland turf, seeming perplexed while his coach admonished him for missing a pass in behind. Back then, as the club endured a six-game winless run, doubts remained if his performances were an indicator or the reason for Villa's more general malaise.
“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”
This weekend, in contrast, the touchline reaction proved to be much more joyous. As the England international drilled in his second strike to restore Villa's lead, the Spanish tactician ripped off his jacket, threw his arms wide and bellowed. Villa were on their way to a tenth straight victory and despite not winning their initial half-dozen matches, find themselves just three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.
Are They Legitimate Challengers?
That’s an exceptionally difficult query to answer. History, the perceived status of this institution, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, their performances haven't been entirely convincing during this run, while the wins have accumulated.
According to the data, twice all season has the side registered an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a team that have put together 10 in a row, they seem curiously susceptible – however right now the tight outcomes are going in their favour.
The Winning Formula
The current approach appears to be to trade blows with an opponent before hoping Rogers to save the day with a couple of precise efforts. It happened against Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and again versus United.
Rogers' first goal came from a superb shot, bent just inside the upright from the edge of the area. The follow-up goal acted as a slight scruffier version of his first capitalizing on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.
“Much like Robben with his left, Rogers’ right foot has become a known threat that remains brutally unstoppable, regardless of anticipation.”
Is It Sustainable?
Reason suggests otherwise. Against United, the opponents had more shots and more efforts on goal. The team has secured their last eight victories by just one goal. The defence has been breached in nearly all of those fixtures.
A statistical correction may well be the greatest opponent they will encounter in the near future. Their key man, in all likelihood, cannot maintain thrashing the ball into the net's top corner forever.
Reasons for Optimism
Maybe there exists another reality whereby, rather than results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs may yet return to peak condition.
- The main striker might resume adding to his goal tally.
- Jadon Sancho may rediscover the performer he resembled in Germany.
- The injured centre-backs are due to come back from the treatment room, strengthening a sometimes shaky defence.
Perhaps there is in that the potential for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on one man.
Relishing the Unlikely
But then, nobody expected this. It seemed improbable Villa would sit in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely back in October, no one envisioned the young forward now would be spearheading a hunt for the title while establishing himself as a vital England player.
This remarkable period must be cherished exactly since it appears so improbable. When Rogers positioned himself before the Villa faithful when the game ended orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. These spells are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.
