🔗 Share this article

It was two months ago when Morgan Rogers stood on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered as his coach scolded him for failing to anticipate a penetrating pass. At that point, with the team failed to win in six, the question was if Rogers' form were a symptom or a cause of Villa's more general malaise.

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

In the latest match, however, the sideline response was far more favourable. When the in-form star curled home his brace-sealing goal to restore the lead for Villa, the Spanish tactician ripped off his jacket, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. The team marched on to ten wins in a row , despite not winning their opening six matches, now sit only three points adrift of the leaders Arsenal.

Is This Team Legitimate Challengers?

It remains a rather hard query to address. The historical record, a general sense of this institution, indicates otherwise. Additionally, their performances haven't been wholly dominant during this run, even as the positive results have piled up.

Per statistical analysis, in only two games have Villa posted an expected goals figure notably superior than the opposition. For a side which has strung together ten consecutive victories, the Villans appear strangely fragile – but at the moment the margins are falling their way.

The Winning Formula

The current approach appears to be to trade blows with an opponent and then rely on their star man to save the day with a couple of clinical strikes. It happened away to Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and once more against the Red Devils.

Rogers' first goal stemmed from an exquisite effort, bent just inside the post from the edge of the area. For his second was essentially a somewhat messier replica of goal number one capitalizing on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

“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. Against United, the opposition had more efforts and more efforts on goal. Villa have won each of their last eight by just one goal. The defence has been breached in nearly all of those fixtures.

Regression to the mean might be the most significant challenge the club will encounter in the near future. The forward, almost certainly, will not continue to drilling the ball into the top corner forever.

Reasons for Optimism

Could it be another reality in which, instead of luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players might still rediscover their best form.

• Ollie Watkins might resume finding the net regularly.
• Jadon Sancho could transform into the performer he showed during his peak.
• The injured centre-backs will eventually regain fitness, bolstering a sometimes shaky backline.

Maybe within that lies the potential for a sustained push, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on a single individual.

Enjoying the Ride

But then, nobody expected this. Nobody thought the team would occupy in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely earlier this season, no one envisioned the midfielder as the year closed would be leading a championship pursuit and appearing as an essential Three Lions star.

This remarkable period is to be savoured exactly since it feels so unlikely. When the hero stood in front of the North End when the game ended leading the celebrations, it was clear to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. Such periods are uncommon in the sport and should be relished.