It was 60 days ago that the young forward stood on the Stadium of Light pitch, looking confused while his coach admonished him for not reading a penetrating pass. At that point, as the club went six without a win, it wasn't clear if his performances were a sign or a cause of the side's wider issues.
“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”
In the latest match, though, the sideline response was much more joyous. When Rogers drilled in his brace-sealing goal to restore the lead for Villa, Emery tore off his winter coat, spread his arms and bellowed. The team marched on to a 10th successive win and despite not winning their initial half-dozen matches, are somehow a mere three points off pace-setters Arsenal.
Is This Team Genuine Title Contenders?
That’s a rather hard query to resolve. History, a general sense of Villa, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, their performances haven't been completely commanding this season, despite the fact the positive results have accumulated.
According to Opta, on just two occasions has the side had an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than the other team. For a club that have just won a ten-match winning streak, Villa appear weirdly vulnerable – but currently the margins are going in their favour.
The Winning Formula
The prevailing tactic appears to be to exchange chances with an opponent and wait for Rogers to save the day with a couple of precise efforts. This occurred against Leeds, it happened against West Ham, and once more against the Red Devils.
His opener came from a superb shot, curled right inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. The follow-up goal acted as a somewhat messier replica of the opener as he seized on a pass from Watkins.
“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.”
Can It Last?
Logic says not. Against United, Manchester United managed a greater number of attempts and more efforts on goal. The team has secured their last eight victories by just one goal. They have allowed goals in nearly all of those games.
Regression to the mean could be the greatest opponent the club will encounter over the coming weeks. Their key man, almost certainly, cannot maintain drilling the ball into the net's top corner indefinitely.
Reasons for Optimism
Could it be another reality in which, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Key players may yet find their top level.
- Ollie Watkins may begin to finding the net regularly.
- Jadon Sancho may rediscover the force he resembled during his peak.
- The defensive duo are due to regain fitness, fortifying an occasionally vulnerable defensive unit.
Perhaps there is in that the possibility of a title challenge, however, it is improbable can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.
Relishing the Unlikely
But then, nobody expected this. It seemed improbable Villa would be in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely two months ago, nobody thought the young forward as the year closed would be leading a championship pursuit and appearing as a crucial player for the national team.
This remarkable period must be cherished for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. As the match-winner stood in front of the North End after the match orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. Which he fully merits. These spells are uncommon in the sport and ought to be celebrated.
