A mere 60 days ago when Morgan Rogers found himself on the pitch at Sunderland, seeming perplexed as Unai Emery scolded him over missing a pass in behind. At that point, as Villa endured a six-game winless run, it wasn't clear whether his displays were a sign or a cause for the side's more general malaise.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
In the latest match, however, the manager's outburst was decidedly more positive. After the in-form star drilled in his brace-sealing goal to restore his side's advantage, Emery tore off his coat, opened his arms and shouted in triumph. Villa were on their way to ten wins in a row and after failing to win their opening six games, find themselves just three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.
Is This Team Serious Hopefuls?
This is an exceptionally difficult query to resolve. The historical record, a general sense of Villa, indicates otherwise. Additionally, they have not been completely commanding in many games, despite the fact the positive results have stacked up.
As per the data, twice all season has the team registered an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a side that have put together ten consecutive victories, they appear curiously susceptible – however at the moment the fine lines are falling their way.
The Reliant Strategy
The current approach looks like to trade blows with rivals and then rely on their star man to save the day with two precise efforts. It happened against Leeds, it happened in London, and it happened versus United.
The initial strike came from an exquisite effort, curled precisely inside the goal frame from the corner of the box. For his second proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of his first capitalizing 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?
Common sense dictates no. During the latest victory, the opponents managed more shots and more direct attempts. Villa have secured their last eight victories by a single goal. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those fixtures.
A reversion to average might be the greatest opponent Villa must confront as the season progresses. Their key man, in all likelihood, cannot keep on blasting the ball into the net's top corner week in, week out.
Reasons for Optimism
Could it be an alternative path whereby, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs might still find their top level.
- The main striker may begin to scoring again.
- Jadon Sancho might become the player he was during his peak.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to return from injury, strengthening a sometimes shaky backline.
Perhaps there is in that the potential for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely can persist in leaning entirely on a single individual.
Savoring the Moment
Yet, nobody expected this. Few believed the team would sit in a Champions League place in December. And without a doubt two months ago, nobody thought the midfielder now would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit while establishing himself as an essential Three Lions star.
This remarkable period is to be savoured for the very reason that it appears so improbable. As the match-winner faced the Villa faithful after the match orchestrating the applause, he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it. A feeling he has rightly earned. These spells are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.
