It was eight weeks prior when the young forward found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, seeming perplexed while Unai Emery admonished him for missing a penetrating pass. During that period, as the club went six without a win, the question was whether his performances were a sign or the source for Villa's broader struggles.
“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”
On Sunday, however, the touchline reaction proved to be decidedly more positive. As the England international swept in his second to reinstate his side's advantage, the boss tore off his coat, opened his arms and bellowed. The team continued to a 10th successive win , after failing to win their initial half-dozen games, find themselves only three points off the leaders Arsenal.
Are They Legitimate Title Contenders?
It remains a rather hard question to answer. History, the perceived status of the club, argues against it. Moreover, they have not been completely commanding in many games, while the victories have piled up.
As per statistical analysis, twice all season has the side registered an expected goals figure significantly higher than the opposition. For a club which has strung together a ten-match winning streak, the Villans look weirdly vulnerable – yet currently the margins are falling their way.
The Winning Formula
The current approach seems to be to trade blows with an opponent and then rely on their talisman to rescue them with some clinical strikes. It happened away to Leeds, it occurred in London, and again versus Manchester United.
The initial strike came from a brilliant finish, curled precisely inside the post from the edge of the area. For his second was essentially a slight scruffier version of goal number one capitalizing on a setup by his strike partner.
“Rogers’ right foot is now akin to Robben’s legendary left: forewarned does not mean forearmed, and stopping him is another matter entirely.”
Can It Last?
Reason suggests otherwise. Against United, Manchester United registered a greater number of attempts and more shots on target. The team has secured their last eight victories by a single goal. They have allowed goals in all but one of those fixtures.
A reversion to average might be the greatest opponent Villa have to face as the season progresses. Their key man, in all likelihood, cannot keep on drilling his shots into the net's top corner indefinitely.
Potential for Growth
Could it be another reality where, instead of luck running out, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Vital cogs could still rediscover their best form.
- The main striker might resume adding to his goal tally.
- The winger may rediscover the force he showed at Borussia Dortmund.
- The injured centre-backs are due to come back from the treatment room, bolstering a periodically leaky defence.
Perhaps there is in that the possibility of a genuine bid, but they surely cannot keep relying on Morgan Rogers.
Enjoying the Ride
However, nobody expected this. Few believed Villa would occupy in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely back in October, nobody thought the young forward now would be leading a title charge while looking like a crucial player for the national team.
The current run is to be savoured for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. When the hero stood in front of the North End at the final whistle leading the celebrations, it was clear to be loving the experience. A feeling he has rightly earned. Such periods are rare in football and must be appreciated.
