It was 60 days prior that the young forward was standing on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered as Unai Emery scolded him for not reading a pass in behind. At that point, as Villa failed to win in six, the question was whether his displays were an indicator or a cause of the team's more general malaise.
“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”
On Sunday, however, the manager's outburst was decidedly more positive. After the in-form star swept in his second to restore the lead for Villa, Emery ripped off his winter coat, spread his arms and shouted in triumph. The team were on their way to ten wins in a row , after failing to win their opening six matches, now sit just three points off the leaders Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Genuine Challengers?
It remains an exceptionally difficult proposition to address. The historical record, a general sense of this institution, suggests not. Moreover, they have not been entirely convincing during this run, despite the fact the positive results have accumulated.
Per statistical analysis, on just two occasions have Villa registered an xG significantly higher than the opposition. For a side that have put together a ten-match winning streak, the Villans appear strangely fragile – yet right now the fine lines are going in their favour.
The Rogers Recipe
The prevailing tactic seems to be to trade blows with the opposition and wait for Rogers to bail them out with some crisp finishes. This was the case against Leeds, it transpired in London, and again versus United.
The initial strike came from a superb shot, curled precisely inside the upright from the corner of the box. The follow-up goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of his first capitalizing on a pass from Watkins.
“Perhaps Rogers’ right foot is becoming like Arjen Robben’s left: just because you know he’s going to whip the ball into the top corner doesn’t mean you can stop him.”
Is It Sustainable?
Logic says not. Against United, the opposition managed more shots and more efforts on goal. The team has secured their last eight victories by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in all except one of those fixtures.
A reversion to average could be the greatest opponent the club will encounter over the coming weeks. The forward, in all likelihood, cannot keep on drilling the football into the top corner indefinitely.
Potential for Growth
Perhaps there is a different scenario where, rather than results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs may yet find their top level.
- The main striker might resume finding the net regularly.
- The winger might become the performer he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
- The defensive duo are set to regain fitness, bolstering a periodically leaky defensive unit.
Perhaps there is in that the possibility for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely can persist in leaning entirely on Morgan Rogers.
Savoring the Moment
But then, this was unforeseen. It seemed improbable Aston Villa would sit in the top three for the holidays. And without a doubt two months ago, no one envisioned the young forward by the end of the year would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title while establishing himself as a crucial player for the national team.
The current run must be cherished exactly since it seems so surreal. When the hero faced the Villa faithful after the match conducting the cheers, he seemed to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. Such periods do not happen often and should be relished.
