It was two months in the past when Morgan Rogers was standing on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered while the Villa manager berated him over missing a through-ball. Back then, as Villa went six without a win, it wasn't clear whether his displays were a sign or the source for the team'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 touchline reaction was much more joyous. When the in-form star swept in his second to reclaim the lead for Villa, the Spanish tactician discarded his winter coat, opened his arms and shouted in triumph. Villa were on their way to a tenth straight victory and despite not winning their initial half-dozen games, are somehow a mere three points off the leaders Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Serious Title Contenders?
That’s a rather hard question to address. History, the traditional standing of the club, argues against it. Moreover, they have not been entirely convincing in many games, even as the positive results have accumulated.
Per Opta, twice all season has the team had an xG notably superior than their opponents. For a team which has put together a ten-match winning streak, the Villans seem curiously susceptible – yet right now the fine lines are swinging for them.
The Reliant Strategy
Their recent policy appears to be to engage in a shootout with the opposition and then rely on their talisman to save the day with a couple of crisp finishes. It happened against Leeds, it happened at West Ham, and once more when facing Manchester United.
His opener originated from a brilliant finish, bent right inside the post from the corner of the box. The follow-up goal was essentially a slight scruffier version of goal number one 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.”
Can It Last?
Logic says not. In the recent win, the opposition registered a greater number of attempts and more shots on target. Villa have won each of their last eight by just one goal. They have allowed goals in nearly all of those fixtures.
A statistical correction might be the most significant challenge the club will encounter in the near future. The forward, surely, will not continue to drilling the ball past despairing goalkeepers week in, week out.
Potential for Growth
Could it be an alternative path in which, rather than results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players could still rediscover their best form.
- Ollie Watkins might resume finding the net regularly.
- Jadon Sancho might become the performer he was at Borussia Dortmund.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to come back from the treatment room, strengthening an occasionally vulnerable defence.
Perhaps there is in that the possibility for a sustained push, however, it is improbable can continue to depend solely on one man.
Savoring the Moment
However, nobody expected this. Few believed Aston Villa would be in the top three for the holidays. And certainly earlier this season, no one envisioned the young forward now would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit and appearing as a vital Three Lions star.
This remarkable period is to be savoured for the very reason that it appears so improbable. As the hero faced the Villa faithful when the game ended leading the celebrations, he seemed to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. These runs of form do not happen often and ought to be celebrated.
