Just eight weeks ago when Morgan Rogers was standing on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered as the Villa manager admonished him for missing a through-ball. At that point, as Villa endured a six-game winless run, doubts remained if his displays were a symptom or the source of the side's broader struggles.
“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”
In the latest match, though, the sideline response was entirely much more joyous. When Rogers drilled in his brace-sealing goal to reclaim Villa's lead, the Spanish tactician ripped off his jacket, spread his arms and roared. Villa marched on to a tenth straight victory and after failing to win their opening six fixtures, find themselves just three points behind the leaders Arsenal.
Is This Team Legitimate Title Contenders?
That’s a rather hard question to address. Past precedent, a general sense of the club, suggests not. Moreover, their performances haven't been wholly dominant this season, even as the positive results have stacked up.
According to Opta, in only two games has the team registered an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a side which has just won a ten-match winning streak, Villa seem weirdly vulnerable – yet currently the margins are swinging for them.
The Reliant Strategy
Their recent policy appears to be to exchange chances with the opposition and then rely on Rogers to save the day with a couple of precise efforts. It happened away to Leeds, it happened in London, and it happened against United.
The initial strike came from a brilliant finish, arced right inside the goal frame from a wide position. His brace-completing goal proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of his first 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.”
How Long Can This Continue?
Reason suggests otherwise. During the latest victory, Manchester United registered more shots and more direct attempts. They have triumphed in eight consecutive games by just one goal. They’ve conceded in all except one of those fixtures.
A reversion to average may well be the most significant challenge they will encounter in the near future. Rogers, in all likelihood, cannot maintain thrashing his shots past despairing goalkeepers forever.
Reasons for Optimism
Maybe there exists another reality whereby, rather than results trending towards performances, the level of play rises to match the results. Important figures may yet return to peak condition.
- The main striker may begin to scoring again.
- The attacking talent may rediscover the player he showed in Germany.
- The defensive duo will eventually regain fitness, fortifying a sometimes shaky backline.
Perhaps there is in that the possibility of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on one man.
Enjoying the Ride
Yet, nobody expected this. Nobody thought the team would occupy third at Christmas. And certainly back in October, no one envisioned the young forward now would be spearheading a championship pursuit while looking like a vital player for the national team.
This remarkable period should be enjoyed for the very reason that it seems so surreal. When the hero faced the Villa faithful after the match orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. These runs of form do not happen often and ought to be celebrated.
