A mere eight weeks prior that Morgan Rogers found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered while the Villa manager admonished him over missing a pass in behind. Back then, as Villa went six without a win, it wasn't clear if his displays were a symptom or the source for the team's broader struggles.
“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”
In the latest match, though, the manager's outburst proved to be decidedly more positive. As the England international drilled in his second strike to restore his side's advantage, the Spanish tactician discarded his jacket, threw his arms wide and roared. The team marched on to ten wins in a row and despite not winning their opening six games, are somehow a mere three points off pace-setters Arsenal.
Is This Team Serious Title Contenders?
This is an exceptionally difficult query to address. The historical record, the perceived status of this institution, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, their performances haven't been entirely convincing this season, despite the fact the wins have stacked up.
As per Opta, on just two occasions has the team posted an xG significantly higher than their opponents. For a club who have just won a ten-match winning streak, Villa seem strangely fragile – but currently the tight outcomes are falling their way.
The Winning Formula
The prevailing tactic seems to be to trade blows with the opposition and then rely on their star man to save the day with some crisp finishes. It happened away to Leeds, it happened in London, and again against the Red Devils.
The initial strike originated from an exquisite effort, curled just inside the upright from the edge of the area. For his second proved to be a slight scruffier version of his first as he seized 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?
Reason suggests otherwise. During the latest victory, the opponents managed more efforts and more efforts on goal. The team has triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in nearly all of those fixtures.
A statistical correction may well be the greatest opponent they will encounter in the near future. Rogers, almost certainly, cannot keep on thrashing the football past despairing goalkeepers forever.
Potential for Growth
Maybe there exists a different scenario where, instead of results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players may yet rediscover their best form.
- The centre-forward may begin to scoring again.
- The attacking talent could transform into the force he resembled during his peak.
- The injured centre-backs are due to come back from the treatment room, bolstering a sometimes shaky backline.
Maybe within that lies the seeds for a sustained push, however, it is improbable cannot keep relying on one man.
Relishing the Unlikely
Yet, nobody expected this. Few believed the team would occupy third at Christmas. And most definitely back in October, nobody thought the young forward as the year closed would be spearheading a championship pursuit while establishing himself as a vital player for the national team.
This winning streak should be enjoyed precisely because it seems so surreal. As the hero positioned himself before the North End when the game ended conducting the cheers, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. A feeling he has rightly earned. These runs of form are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.
