It was 60 days ago when Morgan Rogers stood on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered while his coach admonished him for missing a penetrating pass. During that period, as the club endured a six-game winless run, the question was if his displays were a symptom or a cause for Villa's wider issues.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
In the latest match, however, the sideline response was entirely decidedly more positive. After the in-form star curled home his brace-sealing goal to reclaim his side's advantage, the boss discarded his jacket, opened his arms and shouted in triumph. The team were on their way to a tenth straight victory and having failed to win their opening six games, find themselves a mere three points adrift of pace-setters Arsenal.
Are They Legitimate Hopefuls?
This is an exceptionally difficult question to resolve. History, the traditional standing of the club, argues against it. Additionally, they have not been entirely convincing this season, despite the fact the wins have stacked up.
According to Opta, twice all season has the side had an xG more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a club who have strung together a ten-match winning streak, the Villans seem strangely fragile – but currently the margins are falling their way.
The Winning Formula
The current approach seems to be to exchange chances with an opponent and wait for their talisman to save the day with two crisp finishes. This occurred against Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and once more versus the Red Devils.
The initial strike originated from an exquisite effort, bent precisely inside the upright from the edge of the area. For his second acted as a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one 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.”
How Long Can This Continue?
Logic says not. In the recent win, the opponents managed a greater number of attempts and more shots on target. Villa have secured their last eight victories by a single goal. The defence has been breached in nearly all of those fixtures.
A statistical correction might be the greatest opponent Villa must confront in the near future. Rogers, surely, cannot maintain drilling his shots into the net's top corner forever.
Potential for Growth
Perhaps there is a different scenario where, rather than luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures could still find their top level.
- Ollie Watkins could start scoring again.
- Jadon Sancho may rediscover the performer he showed at Borussia Dortmund.
- The injured centre-backs will eventually regain fitness, fortifying a periodically leaky defensive unit.
Perhaps there is in that the potential for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on a single individual.
Savoring the Moment
Yet, this is a surprise. Nobody thought Aston Villa would be in the top three for the holidays. And certainly back in October, few could imagine the midfielder as the year closed would be leading a title charge while looking like a crucial player for the national team.
This remarkable period should be enjoyed precisely because it feels so unlikely. As the match-winner positioned himself before the home supporters at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, he seemed to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. These spells are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.
