A mere two months in the past when the young forward stood on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered as the Villa manager admonished him over not reading a pass in behind. During that period, with the team failed to win in six, doubts remained if his displays were a symptom or a cause of the side's wider issues.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
This weekend, however, the sideline response proved to be far more favourable. When Rogers drilled in his second strike to restore his side's advantage, the boss discarded his coat, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. The Birmingham club were on their way to a 10th successive win , having failed to win their opening six games, now sit a mere three points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal.
Is This Team Serious Challengers?
It remains an exceptionally difficult question to resolve. History, a general sense of this institution, argues against it. Moreover, their performances haven't been wholly dominant this season, despite the fact the positive results have piled up.
According to Opta, twice all season have Villa posted an expected goals figure notably superior than the other team. For a side which has strung together a ten-match winning streak, the Villans seem curiously susceptible – however right now the margins are falling their way.
The Winning Formula
The current approach appears to be to exchange chances with an opponent before hoping Rogers to rescue them with some crisp finishes. This was the case at Leeds, it happened against West Ham, and again when facing the Red Devils.
His opener came from a brilliant finish, curled precisely inside the upright from the corner of the box. For his second was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of the opener 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?
Logic says not. Against United, the opponents managed more shots and more direct attempts. The team has triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in all except one of those fixtures.
A reversion to average may well be the most significant challenge Villa will encounter in the near future. Their key man, surely, will not continue to blasting the football past despairing goalkeepers forever.
Reasons for Optimism
Could it be a different scenario where, instead of results trending towards performances, the level of play rises to match the results. Key players could still rediscover their best form.
- The centre-forward might resume finding the net regularly.
- The attacking talent may rediscover the player he was during his peak.
- The defensive duo are set to come back from the treatment room, strengthening a sometimes shaky defensive unit.
Perhaps there is in that the possibility of a genuine bid, but they surely cannot keep relying on Morgan Rogers.
Savoring the Moment
However, this is a surprise. Few believed Villa would sit third at Christmas. And certainly earlier this season, nobody thought the midfielder as the year closed would be leading a championship pursuit and appearing as an essential England player.
This remarkable period is to be savoured exactly since it feels so unlikely. When Rogers stood in front of the Villa faithful when the game ended leading the celebrations, he appeared to be loving the experience. A feeling he has rightly earned. Such periods do not happen often and ought to be celebrated.
