A mere eight weeks in the past that Morgan Rogers stood on the pitch at Sunderland, looking confused as his coach admonished him over missing a through-ball. During that period, as the club went six without a win, the question was whether his displays were an indicator or the source for the side's more general malaise.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
This weekend, in contrast, the touchline reaction proved to be decidedly more positive. After Rogers swept in his brace-sealing goal to reinstate the lead for Villa, Emery ripped off his coat, opened his arms and roared. The Birmingham club marched on to a tenth straight victory , despite not winning their opening six fixtures, find themselves only three points behind the leaders Arsenal.
Are They Legitimate Hopefuls?
It remains an exceptionally difficult query to address. Past precedent, the perceived status of Villa, indicates otherwise. Additionally, they've rarely been completely commanding during this run, despite the fact the positive results have stacked up.
According to the data, on just two occasions has the team had an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a team that have just won ten consecutive victories, the Villans appear strangely fragile – but right now the tight outcomes are falling their way.
The Reliant Strategy
The current approach seems to be to exchange chances with rivals and then rely on their talisman to save the day with a couple of crisp finishes. This was the case at Leeds, it happened against West Ham, and again when facing United.
His opener came from a brilliant finish, bent just inside the goal frame from the corner of the box. For his second proved to be a slight scruffier version of the opener 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.”
Is It Sustainable?
Logic says not. Against United, Manchester United registered a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. The team has won each of their last eight by a single goal. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those fixtures.
A statistical correction might be the biggest rival they must confront as the season progresses. The forward, almost certainly, cannot keep on drilling the ball past despairing goalkeepers forever.
Potential for Growth
Maybe there exists a different scenario whereby, rather than results trending towards performances, the level of play rises to match the results. Vital cogs may yet rediscover their best form.
- The centre-forward could start scoring again.
- The attacking talent may rediscover the force he resembled in Germany.
- The defensive duo are set to regain fitness, bolstering a periodically leaky backline.
Perhaps there is in that the possibility of a title challenge, but they surely cannot keep relying on one man.
Enjoying the Ride
However, nobody expected this. Few believed Villa would occupy in the top three for the holidays. And without a doubt two months ago, few could imagine the young forward now would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title while establishing himself as a vital England player.
The current run is to be savoured precisely because it appears so improbable. When Rogers positioned himself before the home supporters after the match conducting the cheers, it was clear to be relishing every moment. Which he fully merits. These spells are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.
