Just 60 days in the past when the Villa attacker was standing on the Stadium of Light pitch, looking confused while the Villa manager berated him for not reading a through-ball. Back then, as the club endured a six-game winless run, doubts remained whether his performances were a symptom or the source of the side'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 sideline response proved to be far more favourable. As the England international curled home his second to reclaim the lead for Villa, Emery tore off his coat, opened his arms and roared. The team marched on to a 10th successive win and despite not winning their opening six fixtures, find themselves only three points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal.
Are They Serious Title Contenders?
This is a particularly tough query to address. History, a general sense of this institution, indicates otherwise. Additionally, their performances haven't been completely commanding during this run, despite the fact the victories have accumulated.
According to statistical analysis, on just two occasions has the side registered an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a club which has just won ten consecutive victories, the Villans seem weirdly vulnerable – but at the moment the tight outcomes are going in their favour.
The Winning Formula
The prevailing tactic seems to be to trade blows with the opposition and wait for Rogers to bail them out with two crisp finishes. This was the case at Leeds, it occurred against West Ham, and again when facing the Red Devils.
The initial strike came from an exquisite effort, arced precisely inside the goal frame from the corner of the box. His brace-completing goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one as he seized on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.
“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.”
Can It Last?
Reason suggests otherwise. In the recent win, the opposition managed a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. The team has triumphed in eight consecutive games by just one goal. They have allowed goals in all but one of those games.
A statistical correction could be the greatest opponent the club must confront over the coming weeks. The forward, in all likelihood, cannot maintain blasting the football past despairing goalkeepers indefinitely.
A Case for Belief
Perhaps there is a different scenario where, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Key players might still find their top level.
- The main striker may begin to adding to his goal tally.
- The winger might become the force he resembled during his peak.
- The injured centre-backs are set to regain fitness, fortifying an occasionally vulnerable backline.
This could contain the seeds of a title challenge, however, it is improbable can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.
Relishing the Unlikely
But then, this is a surprise. It seemed improbable the team would sit in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely two months ago, few could imagine the young forward as the year closed would be spearheading a hunt for the title while looking like a crucial England player.
This winning streak must be cherished precisely because it appears so improbable. As the hero stood in front of the home supporters when the game ended orchestrating the applause, it was clear to be thoroughly enjoying it. A feeling he has rightly earned. These spells are rare in football and must be appreciated.
