A mere two months prior when the young forward was standing on the pitch at Sunderland, looking confused while his coach berated him for missing a pass in behind. Back then, as Villa endured a six-game winless run, it wasn't clear if his performances were a symptom or the source 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 touchline reaction was entirely much more joyous. When the England international curled home his brace-sealing goal to restore the lead for Villa, the Spanish tactician tore off his jacket, opened his arms and roared. The team continued to ten wins in a row , having failed to win their initial half-dozen matches, are somehow only three points off the leaders Arsenal.
Is This Team Genuine Hopefuls?
That’s an exceptionally difficult query to address. The historical record, a general sense of the club, argues against it. Furthermore, their performances haven't been entirely convincing in many games, even as the victories have stacked up.
According to statistical analysis, in only two games has the side registered an xG more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a club which has put together ten consecutive victories, the Villans seem curiously susceptible – but right now the margins are swinging for them.
The Winning Formula
Their recent policy appears to be to engage in a shootout with rivals and wait for Rogers to rescue them with two clinical strikes. This was the case at Leeds, it occurred against West Ham, and again when facing United.
His opener came from a brilliant finish, arced right inside the upright from the corner of the box. The follow-up goal proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of the opener 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?
Logic says not. During the latest victory, the opposition registered a greater number of attempts and more efforts on goal. The team has triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. They have allowed goals in all but one of those fixtures.
Regression to the mean could be the greatest opponent they will encounter over the coming weeks. Rogers, surely, cannot keep on drilling his shots into the net's top corner indefinitely.
Reasons for Optimism
Maybe there exists a different scenario where, rather than luck running out, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Vital cogs may yet return to peak condition.
- The main striker may begin to scoring again.
- The winger could transform into the force he resembled during his peak.
- The defensive duo are set to return from injury, strengthening a sometimes shaky defensive unit.
Maybe within that lies the seeds for a sustained push, but they surely can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.
Enjoying the Ride
Yet, nobody expected this. Few believed the team would sit in the top three for the holidays. And without a doubt back in October, no one envisioned the midfielder as the year closed would be at the forefront of a title charge and appearing as an essential player for the national team.
The current run should be enjoyed precisely because it feels so unlikely. As Rogers stood in front of the home supporters after the match leading the celebrations, it was clear to be relishing every moment. A feeling he has rightly earned. Such periods are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.
