A mere eight weeks ago when Morgan Rogers stood on the pitch at Sunderland, seeming perplexed as his coach admonished him for failing to anticipate a penetrating pass. At that point, as the club went six without a win, doubts remained whether Rogers' form were a symptom or the source of Villa's more general malaise.
“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”
This weekend, however, the touchline reaction proved to be much more joyous. As the England international swept in his second to reclaim the lead for Villa, Emery ripped off his coat, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. The team continued to a tenth straight victory , having failed to win their initial half-dozen matches, find themselves a mere three points off table-toppers Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Legitimate Hopefuls?
It remains a particularly tough query to resolve. The historical record, a general sense of this institution, argues against it. Furthermore, they've rarely been entirely convincing during this run, despite the fact the victories have stacked up.
As per Opta, twice all season have Villa had an expected goals figure significantly higher than the other team. For a team that have just won 10 in a row, they seem strangely fragile – yet at the moment the tight outcomes are swinging for them.
The Reliant Strategy
The current approach appears to be to engage in a shootout with the opposition and wait for Rogers to rescue them with a couple of crisp finishes. This occurred at Leeds, it occurred in London, and it happened versus the Red Devils.
The initial strike stemmed from an exquisite effort, curled just inside the goal frame from the corner of the box. For his second acted as a somewhat messier replica of goal number one as he seized on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.
“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.”
Is It Sustainable?
Reason suggests otherwise. Against United, the opposition managed more efforts and more shots on target. The team has won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. They have allowed goals in all but one of those matches.
Regression to the mean may well be the greatest opponent the club will encounter in the near future. Their key man, almost certainly, will not continue to drilling his shots into the net's top corner indefinitely.
A Case for Belief
Maybe there exists an alternative path in which, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, the level of play rises to match the results. Important figures could still return to peak condition.
- Ollie Watkins could start adding to his goal tally.
- The winger could transform into the player he was at Borussia Dortmund.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to return from injury, bolstering an occasionally vulnerable defensive unit.
Maybe within that lies the potential for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on one man.
Relishing the Unlikely
However, nobody expected this. Few believed the team would be in the top three for the holidays. And without a doubt two months ago, no one envisioned the midfielder now would be spearheading a hunt for the title while looking like a vital player for the national team.
This winning streak should be enjoyed for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. As the hero positioned himself before the home supporters after the match leading the celebrations, it was clear to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. These spells are uncommon in the sport and ought to be celebrated.
