Just eight weeks ago when Morgan Rogers stood on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered while his coach berated him over failing to anticipate a pass in behind. Back then, with the team went six without a win, doubts remained whether Rogers' form were a symptom or the source of the team's wider issues.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
This weekend, in contrast, the touchline reaction was far more favourable. As the in-form star swept in his brace-sealing goal to reinstate Villa's lead, the Spanish tactician ripped off his winter coat, opened his arms and bellowed. The team continued to a tenth straight victory , having failed to win their initial half-dozen games, are somehow a mere three points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal.
Is This Team Legitimate Challengers?
It remains an exceptionally difficult question to resolve. History, a general sense of Villa, argues against it. Furthermore, they have not been wholly dominant in many games, despite the fact the victories have piled up.
As per the data, in only two games has the team posted an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than the other team. For a team which has just won 10 in a row, the Villans seem weirdly vulnerable – but right now the fine lines are going in their favour.
The Winning Formula
Their recent policy seems to be to engage in a shootout with the opposition and then rely on their talisman to rescue them with two precise efforts. It happened away to Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and again versus Manchester United.
The initial strike stemmed from an exquisite effort, curled just inside the goal frame from a wide position. His brace-completing goal proved to be a slight scruffier version of his first capitalizing on a pass from Watkins.
“Perhaps Rogers’ right foot is becoming like Arjen Robben’s left: just because you know he’s going to whip the ball into the top corner doesn’t mean you can stop him.”
How Long Can This Continue?
Common sense dictates no. Against United, Manchester United managed more efforts and more shots on target. Villa have won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in nearly all of those fixtures.
Regression to the mean might be the greatest opponent the club have to face over the coming weeks. Their key man, surely, cannot maintain blasting his shots into the net's top corner indefinitely.
A Case for Belief
Maybe there exists another reality in which, instead of results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures could still find their top level.
- The centre-forward may begin to finding the net regularly.
- Jadon Sancho may rediscover the performer he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
- The injured centre-backs are set to return from injury, bolstering a periodically leaky backline.
Perhaps there is in that the seeds of a title challenge, but they surely can continue to depend solely on a single individual.
Savoring the Moment
But then, this was unforeseen. Few believed Villa would be in the top three for the holidays. And certainly earlier this season, few could imagine the midfielder by the end of the year would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit and appearing as a vital player for the national team.
This remarkable period should be enjoyed for the very reason that it seems so surreal. When the match-winner stood in front of the home supporters when the game ended conducting the cheers, he appeared to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. Such periods do not happen often and ought to be celebrated.
