It was two months ago when the young forward found himself on the pitch at Sunderland, looking confused while the Villa manager berated him over failing to anticipate a through-ball. At that point, as the club failed to win in six, it wasn't clear whether Rogers' form were a sign or the reason of the side's more general malaise.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
On Sunday, however, the sideline response proved to be decidedly more positive. When the in-form star swept in his second to reclaim his side's advantage, the Spanish tactician discarded his winter coat, opened his arms and roared. Villa continued to a tenth straight victory , despite not winning any of their first six games, find themselves just three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.
Are They Legitimate Title Contenders?
It remains a rather hard proposition to resolve. The historical record, the traditional standing of the club, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, they've rarely been entirely convincing this season, while the positive results have piled up.
As per Opta, in only two games has the side had an expected goals figure notably superior than the opposition. For a side that have put together 10 in a row, they appear strangely fragile – however at the moment the fine lines are going in their favour.
The Rogers Recipe
Their recent policy appears to be to exchange chances with the opposition and then rely on their talisman to bail them out with a couple of precise efforts. This was the case against Leeds, it happened at West Ham, and once more versus the Red Devils.
His opener stemmed from a superb shot, curled right inside the goal frame from the corner of the box. For his second proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one as he pounced 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.”
Can It Last?
Reason suggests otherwise. In the recent win, Manchester United registered more shots and more direct attempts. They have triumphed in eight consecutive games by just one goal. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those matches.
Regression to the mean may well be the biggest rival Villa will encounter over the coming weeks. Their key man, surely, will not continue to blasting the football past despairing goalkeepers indefinitely.
A Case for Belief
Could it be a different scenario whereby, rather than luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs could still find their top level.
- The main striker may begin to finding the net regularly.
- Jadon Sancho might become the force he showed during his peak.
- The injured centre-backs are due to return from injury, fortifying a sometimes shaky defence.
This could contain the potential for a sustained push, but they surely cannot keep relying on Morgan Rogers.
Enjoying the Ride
But then, this is a surprise. Nobody thought Villa would occupy in a Champions League place in December. And without a doubt two months ago, few could imagine Rogers as the year closed would be spearheading a title charge and appearing as an essential Three Lions star.
This remarkable period is to be savoured exactly since it seems so surreal. When Rogers positioned himself before the Villa faithful when the game ended conducting the cheers, he seemed to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. Such periods are rare in football and should be relished.
