It was two months in the past that Morgan Rogers stood on the Sunderland turf, seeming perplexed as Unai Emery scolded him for failing to anticipate a pass in behind. Back then, with the team endured a six-game winless run, the question was if Rogers' form were a sign or the source for the team's wider issues.
“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”
On Sunday, in contrast, the manager's outburst was decidedly more positive. As the England international curled home his second to restore the lead for Villa, the boss discarded his jacket, opened his arms and bellowed. Villa marched on to ten wins in a row and having failed to win their opening six games, find themselves only three points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal.
Are They Legitimate Hopefuls?
This is an exceptionally difficult query to answer. History, a general sense of Villa, indicates otherwise. Moreover, their performances haven't been entirely convincing in many games, despite the fact the positive results have piled up.
Per statistical analysis, in only two games have Villa registered an xG notably superior than the other team. For a side which has just won a ten-match winning streak, the Villans appear curiously susceptible – however at the moment the tight outcomes are falling their way.
The Reliant Strategy
The current approach seems to be to exchange chances with rivals and then rely on their talisman to rescue them with two clinical strikes. It happened away to Leeds, it happened at West Ham, and once more against United.
Rogers' first goal originated from a superb shot, curled precisely inside the post from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of his first capitalizing on a pass from Watkins.
“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?
Common sense dictates no. During the latest victory, the opposition managed a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. Villa have triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in all except one of those games.
A statistical correction could be the biggest rival the club will encounter in the near future. Their key man, surely, will not continue to blasting the football into the net's top corner forever.
A Case for Belief
Could it be another reality where, rather than results trending towards performances, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Key players could still rediscover their best form.
- The centre-forward may begin to finding the net regularly.
- The winger could transform into the player he was in Germany.
- The defensive duo will eventually regain fitness, fortifying a periodically leaky backline.
This could contain the possibility of a genuine bid, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on one man.
Enjoying the Ride
Yet, nobody expected this. Few believed Villa would be third at Christmas. And certainly back in October, few could imagine the young forward as the year closed would be at the forefront of a title charge while establishing himself as a crucial Three Lions star.
The current run must be cherished exactly since it feels so unlikely. When the hero positioned himself before the North End at the final whistle conducting the cheers, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. A feeling he has rightly earned. These spells do not happen often and ought to be celebrated.
