A mere 60 days prior that the young forward found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, looking confused while Unai Emery berated him over missing a through-ball. Back then, with the team failed to win in six, doubts remained if Rogers' form were a sign or a cause for the team's wider issues.
“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”
On Sunday, in contrast, the touchline reaction was entirely far more favourable. When the in-form star drilled in his second strike to reclaim his side's advantage, Emery ripped off his winter coat, spread his arms and roared. The Birmingham club continued to a tenth straight victory , after failing to win their initial half-dozen fixtures, are somehow only three points adrift of the leaders Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Serious Hopefuls?
That’s an exceptionally difficult proposition to resolve. Past precedent, the traditional standing of this institution, argues against it. Furthermore, they have not been entirely convincing this season, while the positive results have stacked up.
Per the data, in only two games has the side had an expected goals figure significantly higher than the other team. For a team who have put together ten consecutive victories, the Villans look curiously susceptible – however at the moment the tight outcomes are going in their favour.
The Reliant Strategy
Their recent policy appears to be to exchange chances with the opposition and then rely on Rogers to save the day with some clinical strikes. This was the case against Leeds, it happened at West Ham, and it happened when facing the Red Devils.
Rogers' first goal originated from an exquisite effort, curled precisely inside the post from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration of his first capitalizing on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.
“Much like Robben with his left, Rogers’ right foot has become a known threat that remains brutally unstoppable, regardless of anticipation.”
Is It Sustainable?
Reason suggests otherwise. In the recent win, the opponents registered a greater number of attempts and more efforts on goal. The team has triumphed in eight consecutive games by a single goal. The defence has been breached in all but one of those fixtures.
A statistical correction might be the biggest rival they must confront over the coming weeks. Rogers, almost certainly, cannot keep on drilling the ball into the top corner forever.
Reasons for Optimism
Could it be another reality where, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, the level of play rises to match the results. Vital cogs may yet find their top level.
- The centre-forward may begin to scoring again.
- The attacking talent could transform into the force he showed during his peak.
- The injured centre-backs are due to come back from the treatment room, bolstering a periodically leaky backline.
Perhaps there is in that the seeds for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely cannot keep relying on Morgan Rogers.
Savoring the Moment
But then, this was unforeseen. Nobody thought Aston Villa would be third at Christmas. And most definitely back in October, nobody thought the young forward as the year closed would be spearheading a hunt for the title while looking like a crucial England player.
This remarkable period is to be savoured precisely because it appears so improbable. As the hero positioned himself before the home supporters after the match conducting the cheers, it was clear to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. These spells are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.
