It was eight weeks ago that Morgan Rogers stood on the Stadium of Light pitch, seeming perplexed as his coach admonished him for missing a penetrating pass. Back then, as Villa failed to win in six, the question was whether his displays were an indicator or a cause for Villa's more general malaise.
“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”
This weekend, however, the manager's outburst proved to be decidedly more positive. As the in-form star drilled in his brace-sealing goal to reclaim Villa's lead, Emery discarded his jacket, threw his arms wide and bellowed. The team continued to a tenth straight victory and after failing to win their initial half-dozen matches, now sit just three points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Genuine Title Contenders?
That’s an exceptionally difficult question to address. Past precedent, the perceived status of the club, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, their performances haven't been wholly dominant this season, despite the fact the victories have piled up.
As per Opta, on just two occasions have Villa registered an expected goals figure significantly higher than their opponents. For a side who have strung together a ten-match winning streak, the Villans appear curiously susceptible – but at the moment the margins are falling their way.
The Reliant Strategy
The prevailing tactic seems to be to trade blows with an opponent and wait for their star man to rescue them with a couple of precise efforts. This occurred away to Leeds, it occurred in London, and once more versus Manchester United.
His opener originated from an exquisite effort, arced just inside the upright from the corner of the box. For his second proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of his first 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.”
Is It Sustainable?
Common sense dictates no. Against United, the opponents managed more shots and more direct attempts. They have secured their last eight victories by the narrowest of margins. They have allowed goals in all except one of those fixtures.
Regression to the mean could be the greatest opponent Villa will encounter over the coming weeks. Their key man, in all likelihood, cannot maintain thrashing the football into the net's top corner week in, week out.
Reasons for Optimism
Could it be a different scenario in which, instead of results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs could still rediscover their best form.
- The centre-forward may begin to adding to his goal tally.
- The winger may rediscover the player he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
- The defensive duo are due to come back from the treatment room, strengthening a sometimes shaky defence.
This could contain the potential of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.
Enjoying the Ride
Yet, nobody expected this. It seemed improbable Aston Villa would be in the top three for the holidays. And without a doubt earlier this season, few could imagine Rogers by the end of the year would be leading a hunt for the title while establishing himself as a vital Three Lions star.
This winning streak should be enjoyed for the very reason that it seems so surreal. As Rogers stood in front of the home supporters at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, he seemed to be loving the experience. A feeling he has rightly earned. These runs of form do not happen often and must be appreciated.
