It was 60 days in the past that Morgan Rogers stood on the Stadium of Light pitch, looking confused while his coach admonished him for not reading a through-ball. Back then, as Villa endured a six-game winless run, doubts remained if his displays were an indicator or the reason for Villa's more general malaise.
“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”
This weekend, though, the sideline response was decidedly more positive. After the in-form star curled home his brace-sealing goal to restore the lead for Villa, the boss discarded his coat, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. Villa marched on to a 10th successive win and after failing to win any of their first six matches, now sit only three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.
Is This Team Serious Challengers?
This is a particularly tough question to answer. The historical record, the perceived status of Villa, indicates otherwise. Moreover, they have not been entirely convincing during this run, even as the wins have piled up.
As per Opta, on just two occasions has the team had an xG more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a club which has put together 10 in a row, Villa seem strangely fragile – yet currently the fine lines are falling their way.
The Reliant Strategy
Their recent policy looks like to engage in a shootout with an opponent and wait for their star man to save the day with a couple of clinical strikes. This was the case at Leeds, it happened at West Ham, and it happened when facing Manchester United.
The initial strike stemmed from a brilliant finish, curled just inside the goal frame from a wide position. The follow-up goal proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of his first as he pounced on a setup by his strike partner.
“Rogers’ right foot is now akin to Robben’s legendary left: forewarned does not mean forearmed, and stopping him is another matter entirely.”
How Long Can This Continue?
Logic says not. During the latest victory, the opponents had more efforts and more efforts on goal. The team has won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in all but one of those fixtures.
A statistical correction could be the biggest rival the club must confront as the season progresses. Rogers, in all likelihood, will not continue to thrashing the football into the top corner week in, week out.
Potential for Growth
Maybe there exists a different scenario whereby, rather than results trending towards performances, the level of play rises to match the results. Key players may yet return to peak condition.
- The centre-forward may begin to finding the net regularly.
- Jadon Sancho could transform into the force he resembled during his peak.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to come back from the treatment room, fortifying an occasionally vulnerable backline.
Perhaps there is in that the possibility of a title challenge, yet it seems unlikely cannot keep relying on a single individual.
Relishing the Unlikely
However, nobody expected this. Few believed Aston Villa would occupy in the top three for the holidays. And certainly back in October, no one envisioned the midfielder by the end of the year would be at the forefront of a title charge while establishing himself as a vital England player.
The current run should be enjoyed exactly since it feels so unlikely. As the hero faced the Villa faithful when the game ended orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. Such periods are rare in football and must be appreciated.
