It was 60 days ago that Morgan Rogers stood on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered as his coach admonished him for missing a through-ball. At that point, as Villa failed to win in six, it wasn't clear whether his performances were a symptom or the reason for the side's broader struggles.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
In the latest match, however, the sideline response was decidedly more positive. When the in-form star curled home his second to restore Villa's lead, Emery ripped off his winter coat, opened his arms and roared. The team were on their way to a tenth straight victory and having failed to win their opening six fixtures, find themselves a mere three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.
Is This Team Legitimate Challengers?
It remains a rather hard proposition to address. Past precedent, the traditional standing of the club, argues against it. Additionally, their performances haven't been wholly dominant in many games, even as the wins have stacked up.
According to Opta, on just two occasions have Villa had an xG more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a club who have strung together a ten-match winning streak, Villa seem weirdly vulnerable – however currently the fine lines are swinging for them.
The Rogers Recipe
The prevailing tactic appears to be to trade blows with rivals and then rely on Rogers to save the day with a couple of crisp finishes. It happened at Leeds, it occurred against West Ham, and it happened against United.
Rogers' first goal stemmed from a brilliant finish, arced right inside the upright from the corner of the box. For his second was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of his first capitalizing 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.”
How Long Can This Continue?
Reason suggests otherwise. In the recent win, the opposition had a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. Villa have won each of their last eight by a single goal. They have allowed goals in all except one of those fixtures.
A reversion to average may well be the most significant challenge they will encounter over the coming weeks. The forward, surely, will not continue to drilling the ball past despairing goalkeepers forever.
A Case for Belief
Could it be a different scenario whereby, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Important figures might still return to peak condition.
- The main striker could start finding the net regularly.
- The winger could transform into the performer he was during his peak.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to return from injury, strengthening an occasionally vulnerable defence.
Maybe within that lies the potential of a title challenge, but they surely can continue to depend solely on one man.
Enjoying the Ride
However, this was unforeseen. It seemed improbable Villa would be in a Champions League place in December. And without a doubt back in October, nobody thought the midfielder by the end of the year would be leading a championship pursuit and appearing as a crucial Three Lions star.
This remarkable period must be cherished precisely because it appears so improbable. When the hero faced the Villa faithful when the game ended orchestrating the applause, it was clear to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. These runs of form do not happen often and should be relished.
