A mere 60 days ago when Morgan Rogers was standing on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered while his coach berated him over missing a through-ball. Back then, as the club failed to win in six, doubts remained if his performances were a symptom or a cause for the side's wider issues.
“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”
On Sunday, however, the sideline response proved to be much more joyous. After the in-form star drilled in his second strike to reclaim the lead for Villa, the Spanish tactician ripped off his jacket, spread his arms and shouted in triumph. The team marched on to a 10th successive win and despite not winning any of their first six matches, are somehow just three points off table-toppers Arsenal.
Is This Team Serious Challengers?
That’s a rather hard query to resolve. The historical record, the traditional standing of the club, suggests not. Additionally, they have not been completely commanding during this run, even as the positive results have piled up.
As per statistical analysis, in only two games has the side registered an expected goals figure significantly higher than their opponents. For a club which has put together 10 in a row, Villa appear weirdly vulnerable – however currently the tight outcomes are swinging for them.
The Reliant Strategy
The prevailing tactic seems to be to trade blows with an opponent before hoping their star man to save the day with a couple of clinical strikes. This was the case against Leeds, it transpired at West Ham, and again versus United.
Rogers' first goal originated from a brilliant finish, curled precisely inside the post from a wide position. For his second proved to be a slight scruffier version of his first as he pounced 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.”
Is It Sustainable?
Common sense dictates no. In the recent win, the opposition had more shots and more direct attempts. Villa have secured their last eight victories by just one goal. They have allowed goals in all except one of those fixtures.
A reversion to average could be the greatest opponent Villa will encounter over the coming weeks. Their key man, in all likelihood, cannot keep on thrashing the football into the top corner forever.
A Case for Belief
Perhaps there is another reality where, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, the level of play rises to match the results. Key players could still rediscover their best form.
- The centre-forward could start scoring again.
- Jadon Sancho might become the performer he was during his peak.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will eventually return from injury, fortifying a periodically leaky defensive unit.
Maybe within that lies the seeds for a sustained push, but they surely can continue to depend solely on a single individual.
Relishing the Unlikely
However, this was unforeseen. Nobody thought Villa would be in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely back in October, few could imagine Rogers now would be spearheading a hunt for the title while looking like an essential Three Lions star.
This winning streak must be cherished precisely because it seems so surreal. As Rogers faced the North End at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. These spells do not happen often and ought to be celebrated.
