Just eight weeks in the past when Morgan Rogers stood on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered while Unai Emery admonished him for not reading a pass in behind. Back then, as the club went six without a win, doubts remained whether Rogers' form were a sign or the reason of Villa's broader struggles.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
On Sunday, though, the manager's outburst proved to be decidedly more positive. When the in-form star curled home his brace-sealing goal to restore the lead for Villa, the Spanish tactician ripped off his jacket, spread his arms and bellowed. The team were on their way to a tenth straight victory , after failing to win their initial half-dozen games, are somehow only three points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal.
Is This Team Legitimate Hopefuls?
It remains an exceptionally difficult query to address. Past precedent, the perceived status of Villa, argues against it. Moreover, they have not been wholly dominant during this run, while the positive results have accumulated.
As per statistical analysis, twice all season have Villa registered an xG significantly higher than the opposition. For a team that have just won ten consecutive victories, Villa look weirdly vulnerable – but right now the margins are falling their way.
The Reliant Strategy
The current approach seems to be to engage in a shootout with an opponent and then rely on Rogers to bail them out with two crisp finishes. It happened away to Leeds, it occurred in London, and again versus Manchester United.
The initial strike originated from a brilliant finish, curled precisely inside the upright from the corner of the box. For his second was essentially a slight scruffier version of his first capitalizing on a setup by his strike partner.
“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?
Reason suggests otherwise. Against United, Manchester United had more efforts and more direct attempts. Villa have secured their last eight victories by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in all except one of those matches.
A reversion to average might be the greatest opponent the club have to face as the season progresses. Their key man, almost certainly, cannot keep on blasting the football past despairing goalkeepers forever.
A Case for Belief
Maybe there exists an alternative path where, instead of results trending towards performances, the level of play rises to match the results. Key players may yet find their top level.
- The centre-forward might resume finding the net regularly.
- The attacking talent could transform into the force he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
- The defensive duo will eventually regain fitness, bolstering a periodically leaky backline.
This could contain the possibility of a title challenge, yet it seems unlikely can persist in leaning entirely on one man.
Relishing the Unlikely
Yet, this is a surprise. Few believed Aston Villa would occupy in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely two months ago, no one envisioned the young forward now would be at the forefront of a title charge while establishing himself as a crucial player for the national team.
This winning streak is to be savoured precisely because it appears so improbable. As the hero faced the North End after the match conducting the cheers, he appeared to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. These spells do not happen often and ought to be celebrated.
