Just eight weeks in the past when the young forward found himself on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered while Unai Emery scolded him over not reading a penetrating pass. Back then, as Villa went six without a win, doubts remained whether Rogers' form were a symptom or the reason of Villa's broader struggles.
“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”
In the latest match, however, the touchline reaction proved to be far more favourable. After the England international curled home his second to restore his side's advantage, Emery ripped off his jacket, threw his arms wide and roared. The Birmingham club were on their way to a tenth straight victory and having failed to win their initial half-dozen matches, are somehow a mere three points behind the leaders Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Genuine Hopefuls?
That’s a rather hard query to resolve. The historical record, the perceived status of the club, indicates otherwise. Moreover, they've rarely been entirely convincing during this run, despite the fact the victories have accumulated.
As per Opta, twice all season has the team registered an xG more than 0.5 greater than the other team. For a team which has strung together a ten-match winning streak, they seem curiously susceptible – yet currently the margins are going in their favour.
The Winning Formula
The current approach seems to be to trade blows with an opponent and wait for their star man to rescue them with a couple of precise efforts. This occurred at Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and once more when facing the Red Devils.
His opener stemmed from a superb shot, curled precisely inside the post from the edge of the area. For his second was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of his first capitalizing on a pass from Watkins.
“Much like Robben with his left, Rogers’ right foot has become a known threat that remains brutally unstoppable, regardless of anticipation.”
Can It Last?
Logic says not. During the latest victory, Manchester United managed more efforts and more direct attempts. Villa have won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those fixtures.
A reversion to average may well be the biggest rival Villa will encounter over the coming weeks. Their key man, surely, cannot maintain drilling the ball into the net's top corner week in, week out.
A Case for Belief
Perhaps there is a different scenario whereby, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures could still find their top level.
- Ollie Watkins may begin to scoring again.
- The attacking talent may rediscover the force he was in Germany.
- The defensive duo are due to come back from the treatment room, bolstering a sometimes shaky backline.
This could contain the potential of a genuine bid, however, it is improbable cannot keep relying on Morgan Rogers.
Enjoying the Ride
However, nobody expected this. Few believed Villa would be third at Christmas. And most definitely earlier this season, nobody thought Rogers by the end of the year would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit while looking like an essential Three Lions star.
This winning streak must be cherished for the very reason that it seems so surreal. As Rogers positioned himself before the North End at the final whistle conducting the cheers, he appeared to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. These spells are rare in football and should be relished.
