🔗 Share this article

Just 60 days prior when the young forward found himself on the Sunderland turf, looking confused as Unai Emery admonished him for not reading a pass in behind. At that point, as Villa endured a six-game winless run, doubts remained whether Rogers' form were a symptom or the reason of Villa's wider issues.

“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”

In the latest match, however, the manager's outburst was much more joyous. When Rogers drilled in his second strike to reinstate the lead for Villa, the boss discarded his jacket, spread his arms and shouted in triumph. The Birmingham club were on their way to ten wins in a row and despite not winning any of their first six fixtures, are somehow a mere three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Legitimate Hopefuls?

This is a rather hard query to address. History, the traditional standing of the club, indicates otherwise. Additionally, they've rarely been completely commanding this season, while the positive results have piled up.

As per statistical analysis, twice all season have Villa had an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a side which has strung together 10 in a row, Villa seem curiously susceptible – yet right now the tight outcomes are going in their favour.

The Reliant Strategy

Their recent policy appears to be to exchange chances with the opposition before hoping their star man to save the day with a couple of crisp finishes. This occurred against Leeds, it transpired in London, and again when facing the Red Devils.

The initial strike originated from a brilliant finish, arced right inside the goal frame from a wide position. The follow-up goal proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of the opener 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.”

How Long Can This Continue?

Common sense dictates no. In the recent win, the opponents managed more shots and more direct attempts. The team has secured their last eight victories by just one goal. The defence has been breached in all but one of those games.

A statistical correction might be the greatest opponent Villa will encounter over the coming weeks. Rogers, in all likelihood, cannot maintain drilling the football into the net's top corner indefinitely.

A Case for Belief

Maybe there exists a different scenario in which, instead of results trending towards performances, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Important figures might still rediscover their best form.

• Ollie Watkins may begin to scoring again.
• The attacking talent may rediscover the performer he showed at Borussia Dortmund.
• The defensive duo are set to regain fitness, strengthening a periodically leaky defence.

Maybe within that lies the seeds for a sustained push, however, it is improbable can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.

Enjoying the Ride

However, nobody expected this. Nobody thought Aston Villa would sit in the top three for the holidays. And without a doubt earlier this season, no one envisioned Rogers by the end of the year would be spearheading a hunt for the title while looking like a crucial Three Lions star.

This remarkable period must be cherished exactly since it feels so unlikely. When the match-winner faced the Villa faithful after the match leading the celebrations, it was clear to be relishing every moment. A feeling he has rightly earned. Such periods are rare in football and should be relished.