It was 60 days in the past when Morgan Rogers stood on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered while the Villa manager admonished him over failing to anticipate a through-ball. During that period, as the club went six without a win, doubts remained if his performances were an indicator or the reason for the side's wider issues.
“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”
On Sunday, though, the touchline reaction was entirely decidedly more positive. When the England international drilled in his second to reclaim his side's advantage, Emery tore off his winter coat, spread his arms and roared. The team marched on to ten wins in a row and having failed to win their initial half-dozen matches, now sit only three points adrift of pace-setters Arsenal.
Is This Team Genuine Hopefuls?
It remains an exceptionally difficult question to answer. Past precedent, the traditional standing of the club, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, their performances haven't been wholly dominant during this run, while the victories have accumulated.
As per the data, in only two games has the team had an xG more than 0.5 greater than the other team. For a team who have strung together ten consecutive victories, they seem curiously susceptible – yet currently the margins are swinging for them.
The Rogers Recipe
The current approach seems to be to trade blows with an opponent before hoping their star man to bail them out with two precise efforts. This was the case against Leeds, it happened against West Ham, and again against the Red Devils.
Rogers' first goal stemmed from a superb shot, bent precisely inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one capitalizing 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 opponents registered a greater number of attempts and more shots on target. They have secured their last eight victories by just one goal. They have allowed goals in all except one of those games.
A reversion to average may well be the most significant challenge the club must confront as the season progresses. Rogers, surely, cannot maintain blasting the ball past despairing goalkeepers week in, week out.
Reasons for Optimism
Could it be an alternative path whereby, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Important figures might still return to peak condition.
- Ollie Watkins may begin to scoring again.
- Jadon Sancho could transform into the force he showed in Germany.
- The injured centre-backs will eventually return from injury, strengthening a periodically leaky defensive unit.
Perhaps there is in that the seeds of a title challenge, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on a single individual.
Enjoying the Ride
However, this is a surprise. Few believed the team would be third at Christmas. And certainly two months ago, nobody thought Rogers now would be spearheading a title charge and appearing as an essential player for the national team.
This winning streak must be cherished precisely because it seems so surreal. When Rogers positioned himself before the Villa faithful when the game ended leading the celebrations, he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it. Which he fully merits. Such periods do not happen often and should be relished.
