A mere eight weeks in the past that Morgan Rogers found himself on the Sunderland turf, seeming perplexed while his coach berated him over missing a pass in behind. During that period, as Villa went six without a win, the question was if his performances were a sign or a cause of the side's wider issues.
“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 entirely much more joyous. As Rogers drilled in his second strike to reclaim his side's advantage, Emery tore off his coat, opened his arms and bellowed. The team continued to ten wins in a row , after failing to win any of their first six matches, are somehow a mere three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.
Is This Team Legitimate Hopefuls?
That’s an exceptionally difficult query to resolve. The historical record, the traditional standing of Villa, argues against it. Furthermore, they've rarely been entirely convincing in many games, while the wins have stacked up.
Per Opta, twice all season has the side had an expected goals figure significantly higher than their opponents. For a team that have put together 10 in a row, the Villans appear strangely fragile – however right now the margins are going in their favour.
The Winning Formula
The prevailing tactic appears to be to trade blows with rivals before hoping their star man to save the day with some precise efforts. This occurred against Leeds, it happened in London, and it happened versus United.
His opener came from a brilliant finish, arced right inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. For his second was essentially a slight scruffier version of goal number one as he seized on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.
“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?
Logic says not. Against United, the opposition managed more efforts and more shots on target. The team has triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in all but one of those fixtures.
A statistical correction may well be the greatest opponent the club have to face over the coming weeks. The forward, almost certainly, will not continue to drilling the football into the top corner forever.
A Case for Belief
Could it be a different scenario where, rather than luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures may yet find their top level.
- The main striker could start scoring again.
- The attacking talent could transform into the performer he resembled during his peak.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are set to come back from the treatment room, fortifying a periodically leaky defensive unit.
Perhaps there is in that the potential of a title challenge, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on a single individual.
Savoring the Moment
But then, this was unforeseen. It seemed improbable the team would sit 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 leading a hunt for the title while looking like a vital Three Lions star.
The current run is to be savoured precisely because it seems so surreal. As the match-winner faced the North End when the game ended leading the celebrations, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. Such periods are uncommon in the sport and ought to be celebrated.
