🔗 Share this article

It was eight weeks ago when the young forward stood on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered as the Villa manager berated him for not reading a pass in behind. Back then, as Villa failed to win in six, doubts remained if his performances were a symptom or the reason for the team's broader struggles.

“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”

In the latest match, in contrast, the manager's outburst was entirely much more joyous. After the in-form star swept in his second strike to restore his side's advantage, the boss ripped off his jacket, opened his arms and bellowed. The Birmingham club marched on to ten wins in a row and after failing to win any of their first six fixtures, are somehow a mere three points off the leaders Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Genuine Challengers?

That’s a particularly tough query to address. Past precedent, a general sense of the club, indicates otherwise. Additionally, they have not been wholly dominant in many games, despite the fact the wins have piled up.

According to the data, in only two games has the team had an xG significantly higher than the other team. For a side which has strung together 10 in a row, the Villans seem weirdly vulnerable – but at the moment the tight outcomes are going in their favour.

The Reliant Strategy

Their recent policy looks like to exchange chances with the opposition before hoping their star man to rescue them with two clinical strikes. This was the case at Leeds, it happened at West Ham, and again versus the Red Devils.

His opener came from a superb shot, arced precisely inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. For his second acted as a slightly less clean iteration of his first capitalizing 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.”

Can It Last?

Reason suggests otherwise. In the recent win, the opposition had more shots and more shots on target. They have won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those fixtures.

A statistical correction might be the biggest rival Villa will encounter in the near future. The forward, in all likelihood, will not continue to blasting his shots into the top corner week in, week out.

A Case for Belief

Perhaps there is another reality where, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, the level of play rises to match the results. Vital cogs might still rediscover their best form.

• Ollie Watkins could start scoring again.
• The winger could transform into the performer he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will eventually come back from the treatment room, fortifying an occasionally vulnerable backline.

This could contain the seeds for a sustained push, however, it is improbable can persist in leaning entirely on Morgan Rogers.

Relishing the Unlikely

Yet, this is a surprise. Few believed Villa would occupy in a Champions League place in December. And certainly earlier this season, no one envisioned the midfielder by the end of the year would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title while looking like a crucial Three Lions star.

This remarkable period must be cherished precisely because it seems so surreal. When the match-winner positioned himself before the home supporters when the game ended conducting the cheers, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. A feeling he has rightly earned. These runs of form do not happen often and must be appreciated.