A mere eight weeks ago when the young forward found himself on the pitch at Sunderland, seeming perplexed as his coach admonished him over missing a penetrating pass. During that period, with the team went six without a win, the question was whether Rogers' form were an indicator or the source of the side's wider issues.
“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”
On Sunday, though, the touchline reaction proved to be far more favourable. As the England international swept in his second strike to reclaim the lead for Villa, the Spanish tactician ripped off his jacket, spread his arms and roared. The team marched on to a tenth straight victory and despite not winning their opening six games, find themselves only three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.
Is This Team Genuine Hopefuls?
It remains an exceptionally difficult proposition to address. History, the traditional standing of the club, argues against it. Furthermore, they've rarely been wholly dominant this season, despite the fact the wins have piled up.
Per Opta, on just two occasions has the team posted an xG significantly higher than their opponents. For a side who have put together 10 in a row, Villa look weirdly vulnerable – however right now the margins are going in their favour.
The Winning Formula
The prevailing tactic seems to be to trade blows with an opponent and wait for Rogers to bail them out with some crisp finishes. It happened away to Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and again against United.
His opener stemmed from a brilliant finish, curled just inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of the opener as he pounced on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.
“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. In the recent win, the opponents registered a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. The team has won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those fixtures.
A reversion to average might be the biggest rival they must confront in the near future. Rogers, in all likelihood, cannot keep on blasting the football into the net's top corner forever.
A Case for Belief
Perhaps there is a different scenario in which, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, the level of play rises to match the results. Vital cogs may yet rediscover their best form.
- Ollie Watkins may begin to scoring again.
- The winger may rediscover the player he showed during his peak.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to regain fitness, bolstering an occasionally vulnerable backline.
Perhaps there is in that the potential for a sustained push, however, it is improbable can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.
Savoring the Moment
But then, nobody expected this. It seemed improbable the team would occupy third at Christmas. And without a doubt two months ago, few could imagine the young forward by the end of the year would be leading a title charge while looking like an essential Three Lions star.
The current run must be cherished exactly since it feels so unlikely. As the hero positioned himself before the home supporters after the match orchestrating the applause, it was clear to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. These spells do not happen often and should be relished.
