A mere two months prior when Morgan Rogers was standing on the Sunderland turf, seeming perplexed as Unai Emery berated him over failing to anticipate a penetrating pass. During that period, with the team endured a six-game winless run, the question was whether his performances were an indicator or the source for Villa's wider issues.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
This weekend, though, the sideline response proved to be far more favourable. When Rogers drilled in his second strike to reclaim the lead for Villa, the boss discarded his jacket, spread his arms and shouted in triumph. The team marched on to ten wins in a row , despite not winning their initial half-dozen fixtures, now sit just three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.
This is a particularly tough query to address. The historical record, the traditional standing of the club, suggests not. Moreover, they've rarely been completely commanding this season, while the victories have stacked up.
Per statistical analysis, on just two occasions has the side registered an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a club that have just won a ten-match winning streak, Villa look strangely fragile – however at the moment the fine lines are falling their way.
The current approach seems to be to trade blows with the opposition and then rely on their talisman to rescue them with some crisp finishes. This occurred away to Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and it happened versus the Red Devils.
The initial strike came from a brilliant finish, curled right inside the post from the edge of the area. The follow-up goal acted as a somewhat messier replica of goal number one 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.”
Logic says not. In the recent win, Manchester United registered more shots and more direct attempts. The team has triumphed in eight consecutive games by just one goal. The defence has been breached in nearly all of those games.
A statistical correction could be the biggest rival the club must confront as the season progresses. Their key man, almost certainly, cannot keep on thrashing the ball into the top corner week in, week out.
Could it be another reality whereby, instead of luck running out, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Important figures might still find their top level.
This could contain the seeds of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely cannot keep relying on Morgan Rogers.
However, nobody expected this. Nobody thought Aston Villa would sit in a Champions League place in December. And without a doubt earlier this season, no one envisioned the midfielder by the end of the year would be leading a hunt for the title while establishing himself as a crucial player for the national team.
This winning streak is to be savoured for the very reason that it appears so improbable. As the match-winner faced the North End when the game ended conducting the cheers, he appeared to be loving the experience. A feeling he has rightly earned. These spells are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.
Milan is een ervaren opticien met een passie voor visuele technologie en klantgerichtheid.
