A mere two months prior when Morgan Rogers stood on the Sunderland turf, seeming perplexed as his coach scolded him for not reading a penetrating pass. At that point, as the club failed to win in six, the question was if his performances were a symptom or a cause for the side's wider issues.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
On Sunday, though, the manager's outburst was entirely decidedly more positive. As the England international drilled in his second to reclaim his side's advantage, Emery discarded his winter coat, opened his arms and roared. The team marched on to a 10th successive win , after failing to win their opening six games, find themselves only three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.
Is This Team Serious Title Contenders?
This is an exceptionally difficult question to answer. Past precedent, the traditional standing of this institution, argues against it. Furthermore, they have not been wholly dominant during this run, even as the victories have accumulated.
Per the data, in only two games has the side posted an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a club which has strung together 10 in a row, the Villans seem strangely fragile – yet at the moment the margins are swinging for them.
The Winning Formula
Their recent policy seems to be to exchange chances with an opponent and wait for their star man to save the day with a couple of precise efforts. It happened against Leeds, it happened against West Ham, and once more versus United.
Rogers' first goal came from a brilliant finish, arced precisely inside the post from the corner of the box. For his second acted as a slight scruffier version of goal number one as he pounced 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.”
Can It Last?
Common sense dictates no. Against United, the opponents had more efforts and more shots on target. Villa have won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. They have allowed goals in nearly all of those fixtures.
A statistical correction might be the biggest rival Villa must confront in the near future. Their key man, surely, will not continue to blasting the ball into the top corner indefinitely.
Reasons for Optimism
Maybe there exists a different scenario whereby, rather than luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures could still return to peak condition.
- The main striker could start adding to his goal tally.
- The attacking talent could transform into the force he resembled in Germany.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are set to come back from the treatment room, bolstering a periodically leaky defence.
This could contain the seeds for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on one man.
Relishing the Unlikely
Yet, this is a surprise. Few believed Aston Villa would occupy third at Christmas. And certainly earlier this season, no one envisioned the young forward as the year closed would be leading a title charge while looking like a crucial player for the national team.
This winning streak must be cherished exactly since it seems so surreal. As Rogers stood in front of the Villa faithful at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. These runs of form are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.
