It was 60 days prior that Morgan Rogers stood on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered while his coach scolded him for failing to anticipate a through-ball. At that point, as Villa endured a six-game winless run, it wasn't clear if his displays were a sign or the reason 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 touchline reaction was entirely much more joyous. When Rogers curled home his second to reinstate his side's advantage, the Spanish tactician discarded his jacket, opened his arms and shouted in triumph. The Birmingham club marched on to ten wins in a row , after failing to win their opening six matches, now sit only three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.
That’s a particularly tough proposition to resolve. The historical record, the traditional standing of this institution, argues against it. Moreover, their performances haven't been wholly dominant in many games, despite the fact the wins have stacked up.
According to Opta, in only two games has the side posted an expected goals figure notably superior than the other team. For a side that have put together ten consecutive victories, the Villans seem weirdly vulnerable – yet at the moment the fine lines are falling their way.
Their recent policy seems to be to engage in a shootout with an opponent before hoping Rogers to save the day with a couple of precise efforts. It happened against Leeds, it happened in London, and again against Manchester United.
The initial strike came from a brilliant finish, bent right inside the post from a wide position. The follow-up goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration of the opener capitalizing 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.”
Logic says not. Against United, the opposition managed more shots and more shots on target. The team has triumphed in eight consecutive games by a single goal. They have allowed goals in nearly all of those games.
A reversion to average could be the biggest rival Villa have to face over the coming weeks. Their key man, almost certainly, cannot keep on blasting the ball past despairing goalkeepers indefinitely.
Could it be an alternative path whereby, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players might still return to peak condition.
Perhaps there is in that the seeds of a genuine bid, but they surely can continue to depend solely on a single individual.
Yet, this is a surprise. It seemed improbable Villa would be third at Christmas. And certainly back in October, nobody thought the midfielder as the year closed would be spearheading a hunt for the title while establishing himself as an essential England player.
This winning streak should be enjoyed precisely because it seems so surreal. As Rogers positioned himself before the home supporters at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, he seemed to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. Such periods do not happen often and must be appreciated.
