Just two months in the past that the young forward found himself on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered while Unai Emery admonished him over not reading a pass in behind. Back then, as Villa failed to win in six, doubts remained whether Rogers' form were a symptom or the reason of Villa's wider issues.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
This weekend, in contrast, the touchline reaction was much more joyous. As the in-form star swept in his brace-sealing goal to restore Villa's lead, the Spanish tactician discarded his coat, threw his arms wide and roared. The team were on their way to a tenth straight victory , despite not winning their initial half-dozen matches, are somehow just three points behind the leaders Arsenal.
Are They Serious Title Contenders?
It remains an exceptionally difficult proposition to address. Past precedent, a general sense of Villa, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, they have not been completely commanding this season, while the victories have stacked up.
As per the data, twice all season has the side posted an xG more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a club which has just won a ten-match winning streak, the Villans appear curiously susceptible – but at the moment the fine lines are swinging for them.
The Rogers Recipe
Their recent policy seems to be to trade blows with an opponent and wait for their talisman to rescue them with some crisp finishes. It happened away to Leeds, it transpired in London, and again when facing United.
His opener came from an exquisite effort, bent right inside the post from a wide position. For his second proved to be a slight scruffier version of goal number one capitalizing 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?
Reason suggests otherwise. During the latest victory, the opponents managed a greater number of attempts and more shots on target. Villa have secured their last eight victories by just one goal. The defence has been breached in all but one of those fixtures.
A statistical correction may well be the greatest opponent the club must confront over the coming weeks. Their key man, surely, cannot maintain drilling the ball into the net's top corner week in, week out.
Potential for Growth
Could it be another reality where, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players could still return to peak condition.
- The main striker may begin to finding the net regularly.
- Jadon Sancho could transform into the player he showed in Germany.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are set to return from injury, bolstering an occasionally vulnerable backline.
Perhaps there is in that the seeds for a sustained push, but they surely can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.
Relishing the Unlikely
Yet, this was unforeseen. Few believed Aston Villa would occupy in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely earlier this season, no one envisioned Rogers by the end of the year would be leading a championship pursuit while looking like a crucial player for the national team.
The current run must be cherished for the very reason that it seems so surreal. As Rogers positioned himself before the North End after the match leading the celebrations, he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it. Which he fully merits. Such periods do not happen often and should be relished.
