A mere two months ago that the Villa attacker found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, looking confused as his coach admonished him for missing a pass in behind. Back then, as the club went six without a win, the question was whether his performances were a symptom 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.”
On Sunday, however, the sideline response was decidedly more positive. When the in-form star curled home his brace-sealing goal to reclaim Villa's lead, Emery tore off his winter coat, opened his arms and roared. The Birmingham club were on their way to a tenth straight victory , having failed to win any of their first six fixtures, now sit just three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.
Are They Genuine Challengers?
This is an exceptionally difficult query to address. History, a general sense of Villa, argues against it. Additionally, they have not been entirely convincing in many games, despite the fact the positive results have piled up.
Per the data, in only two games has the team posted an xG more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a side that have put together 10 in a row, the Villans appear strangely fragile – yet right now the margins are swinging for them.
The Reliant Strategy
The current approach seems to be to exchange chances with rivals before hoping their star man to save the day with two clinical strikes. It happened at Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and once more against Manchester United.
His opener originated from a superb shot, bent just inside the goal frame from the corner of the box. For his second acted as a slight scruffier version of his first capitalizing on a setup by his strike partner.
“Much like Robben with his left, Rogers’ right foot has become a known threat that remains brutally unstoppable, regardless of anticipation.”
How Long Can This Continue?
Common sense dictates no. During the latest victory, the opposition managed a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. They have secured their last eight victories by just one goal. The defence has been breached in all except one of those matches.
A reversion to average may well be the most significant challenge they must confront as the season progresses. Their key man, surely, will not continue to blasting the football into the top corner forever.
A Case for Belief
Perhaps there is an alternative path whereby, rather than results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players may yet find their top level.
- The centre-forward might resume adding to his goal tally.
- The attacking talent may rediscover the player he resembled in Germany.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are set to return from injury, bolstering a sometimes shaky defence.
This could contain the potential of a genuine bid, however, it is improbable can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.
Relishing the Unlikely
But then, this was unforeseen. It seemed improbable the team would sit in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely two months ago, few could imagine Rogers by the end of the year would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title and appearing as a crucial England player.
This winning streak must be cherished precisely because it feels so unlikely. As Rogers faced the North End when the game ended conducting the cheers, he appeared to be relishing every moment. Which he fully merits. These runs of form are uncommon in the sport and ought to be celebrated.
