It was two months ago when Morgan Rogers found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, seeming perplexed as the Villa manager berated him over not reading a through-ball. At that point, with the team went six without a win, it wasn't clear if Rogers' form were a sign or the reason of the side's wider issues.
“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”
This weekend, however, the sideline response was decidedly more positive. When Rogers swept in his second strike to restore Villa's lead, the Spanish tactician tore off his winter coat, opened his arms and bellowed. The team continued to ten wins in a row , having failed to win their initial half-dozen fixtures, are somehow only three points off table-toppers Arsenal.
Is This Team Legitimate Challengers?
That’s a particularly tough query to answer. The historical record, a general sense of the club, argues against it. Additionally, they have not been wholly dominant in many games, even as the wins have accumulated.
As per the data, twice all season has the side posted an xG notably superior than the opposition. For a club who have strung together 10 in a row, the Villans seem strangely fragile – however right now the fine lines are falling their way.
The Reliant Strategy
Their recent policy looks like to exchange chances with an opponent and then rely on their talisman to rescue them with a couple of precise efforts. It happened against Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and once more against the Red Devils.
The initial strike came from a brilliant finish, curled just inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal proved to be a somewhat messier replica of the opener capitalizing on a pass from Watkins.
“Rogers’ right foot is now akin to Robben’s legendary left: forewarned does not mean forearmed, and stopping him is another matter entirely.”
Can It Last?
Common sense dictates no. In the recent win, the opposition managed a greater number of attempts and more efforts on goal. Villa have secured their last eight victories by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those fixtures.
A reversion to average may well be the biggest rival the club have to face as the season progresses. The forward, surely, cannot maintain drilling his shots past despairing goalkeepers week in, week out.
A Case for Belief
Perhaps there is another reality in which, rather than results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs might still find their top level.
- The main striker may begin to scoring again.
- The winger may rediscover the player he was in Germany.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to return from injury, bolstering a periodically leaky backline.
Maybe within that lies the potential of a genuine bid, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on a single individual.
Enjoying the Ride
Yet, nobody expected this. It seemed improbable Villa would be third at Christmas. And without a doubt two months ago, nobody thought Rogers as the year closed would be leading a championship pursuit and appearing as a crucial player for the national team.
This remarkable period is to be savoured for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. As the hero faced the Villa faithful at the final whistle conducting the cheers, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. These spells are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.
