A mere 60 days in the past that Morgan Rogers found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered while his coach berated him for failing to anticipate a pass in behind. At that point, as Villa went six without a win, the question was whether Rogers' form were a symptom or a cause of the side's more general malaise.
“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”
In the latest match, in contrast, the sideline response was entirely decidedly more positive. After Rogers swept in his second strike to reclaim the lead for Villa, the Spanish tactician ripped off his coat, opened his arms and bellowed. The team continued to a tenth straight victory and after failing to win their initial half-dozen fixtures, find themselves a mere three points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Serious Title Contenders?
It remains a particularly tough question to resolve. Past precedent, the traditional standing of the club, argues against it. Furthermore, they've rarely been completely commanding this season, even as the victories have stacked up.
As per Opta, twice all season have Villa posted an xG more than 0.5 greater than the other team. For a team who have put together 10 in a row, they appear curiously susceptible – however right now the tight outcomes are going in their favour.
The Reliant Strategy
The prevailing tactic appears to be to trade blows with an opponent before hoping Rogers to save the day with a couple of crisp finishes. This was the case away to Leeds, it occurred against West Ham, and once more versus the Red Devils.
His opener originated from an exquisite effort, bent right inside the upright from the corner of the box. The follow-up goal was essentially a somewhat messier replica 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, the opposition registered more efforts and more efforts on goal. Villa have triumphed in eight consecutive games by a single goal. They have allowed goals in nearly all of those games.
A statistical correction may well be the most significant challenge Villa have to face in the near future. The forward, in all likelihood, will not continue to thrashing the ball past despairing goalkeepers forever.
A Case for Belief
Could it be a different scenario whereby, rather than luck running out, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Important figures could still return to peak condition.
- Ollie Watkins may begin to finding the net regularly.
- The attacking talent may rediscover the force he resembled during his peak.
- The defensive duo are due to regain fitness, fortifying a sometimes shaky defensive unit.
Perhaps there is in that the potential of a title challenge, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on a single individual.
Savoring the Moment
But then, this is a surprise. Nobody thought Villa would be in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely earlier this season, few could imagine the young forward by the end of the year would be leading a hunt for the title and appearing as a vital player for the national team.
This winning streak should be enjoyed exactly since it appears so improbable. As the match-winner stood in front of the Villa faithful when the game ended conducting the cheers, he seemed to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. These runs of form do not happen often and must be appreciated.
