It was two months in the past that the young forward stood on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered as Unai Emery scolded him for missing a pass in behind. During that period, with the team endured a six-game winless run, the question was whether his displays were a symptom or the source of the side's more general malaise.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
This weekend, though, the sideline response was much more joyous. When the England international drilled in his second to reinstate Villa's lead, Emery ripped off his coat, opened his arms and bellowed. The team marched on to a 10th successive win , despite not winning their opening six matches, find themselves a mere three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.
Are They Genuine Challengers?
That’s a rather hard query to resolve. History, a general sense of this institution, suggests not. Additionally, their performances haven't been wholly dominant in many games, while the wins have accumulated.
As per statistical analysis, twice all season have Villa posted an xG notably superior than the other team. For a team which has just won a ten-match winning streak, Villa look strangely fragile – however currently the margins are falling their way.
The Reliant Strategy
The current approach seems to be to trade blows with an opponent before hoping Rogers to rescue them with a couple of precise efforts. This occurred at Leeds, it happened in London, and again when facing the Red Devils.
Rogers' first goal came from a superb shot, curled right inside the upright from the corner of the box. His brace-completing goal was essentially a slight scruffier version 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.”
How Long Can This Continue?
Reason suggests otherwise. In the recent win, Manchester United managed more efforts and more shots on target. They have secured their last eight victories by just one goal. They’ve conceded in all except one of those games.
A reversion to average may well be the greatest opponent they must confront as the season progresses. Their key man, in all likelihood, will not continue to thrashing the football into the net's top corner week in, week out.
A Case for Belief
Perhaps there is an alternative path in which, rather than results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs may yet return to peak condition.
- Ollie Watkins may begin to adding to his goal tally.
- Jadon Sancho might become the player he was at Borussia Dortmund.
- The defensive duo will eventually return from injury, fortifying a periodically leaky backline.
This could contain the seeds for a sustained push, however, it is improbable cannot keep relying on Morgan Rogers.
Relishing the Unlikely
Yet, this is a surprise. Nobody thought Villa would occupy in a Champions League place in December. And certainly back in October, few could imagine the midfielder by the end of the year would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title while establishing himself as a vital Three Lions star.
This remarkable period must be cherished exactly since it appears so improbable. When Rogers faced the home supporters at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. These runs of form are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.
