It was eight weeks prior that the young forward found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, looking confused while his coach admonished him over missing a through-ball. At that point, as the club went six without a win, the question was whether Rogers' form were an indicator or a cause of the side's broader struggles.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
On Sunday, though, the manager's outburst was decidedly more positive. As Rogers drilled in his brace-sealing goal to reclaim the lead for Villa, the boss discarded his jacket, opened his arms and bellowed. Villa marched on to a tenth straight victory and after failing to win any of their first six fixtures, find themselves only three points behind the leaders Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Genuine Title Contenders?
It remains a rather hard query to answer. The historical record, the traditional standing of Villa, argues against it. Additionally, they've rarely been wholly dominant this season, despite the fact the victories have piled up.
As per Opta, on just two occasions have Villa registered an xG significantly higher than their opponents. For a club who have put together a ten-match winning streak, Villa appear weirdly vulnerable – but currently the tight outcomes are falling their way.
The Winning Formula
The prevailing tactic appears to be to engage in a shootout with an opponent and then rely on their star man to rescue them with two crisp finishes. It happened away to Leeds, it happened in London, and it happened versus United.
Rogers' first goal came from a brilliant finish, arced right inside the upright from a wide position. The follow-up goal proved to be a slight scruffier version of goal number one as he pounced on a pass from Watkins.
“Much like Robben with his left, Rogers’ right foot has become a known threat that remains brutally unstoppable, regardless of anticipation.”
Can It Last?
Logic says not. During the latest victory, the opposition had more shots and more efforts on goal. Villa have secured their last eight victories by just one goal. The defence has been breached in all except one of those fixtures.
A reversion to average may well be the biggest rival they must confront over the coming weeks. Rogers, almost certainly, will not continue to thrashing his shots into the top corner indefinitely.
Potential for Growth
Could it be another reality in which, instead of luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players may yet find their top level.
- The main striker may begin to finding the net regularly.
- Jadon Sancho could transform into the player he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
- The injured centre-backs will eventually regain fitness, strengthening an occasionally vulnerable defence.
Perhaps there is in that the possibility of a title challenge, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on Morgan Rogers.
Savoring the Moment
But then, this is a surprise. Few believed Villa would sit in the top three for the holidays. And certainly earlier this season, nobody thought the midfielder as the year closed would be spearheading a championship pursuit while looking like an essential Three Lions star.
The current run is to be savoured precisely because it feels so unlikely. When Rogers faced the North End after the match orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. Such periods are rare in football and should be relished.
