Just eight weeks in the past when the Villa attacker was standing on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered as Unai Emery berated him for failing to anticipate a penetrating pass. Back then, as the club failed to win in six, it wasn't clear if his performances were an indicator or the reason for the side's broader struggles.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
In the latest match, in contrast, the touchline reaction was entirely much more joyous. When Rogers curled home his brace-sealing goal to reclaim the lead for Villa, the Spanish tactician ripped off his coat, opened his arms and shouted in triumph. The Birmingham club continued to a 10th successive win , having failed to win their initial half-dozen games, are somehow a mere three points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal.
This is an exceptionally difficult question to address. History, the traditional standing of the club, suggests not. Additionally, they've rarely been wholly dominant this season, despite the fact the positive results have accumulated.
As per the data, on just two occasions have Villa had an xG significantly higher than their opponents. For a team who have put together 10 in a row, the Villans seem weirdly vulnerable – however at the moment the tight outcomes are going in their favour.
The prevailing tactic looks like to exchange chances with rivals and then rely on Rogers to bail them out with two clinical strikes. It happened at Leeds, it transpired at West Ham, and it happened versus Manchester United.
Rogers' first goal came from an exquisite effort, curled precisely 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.”
Reason suggests otherwise. Against United, the opponents registered more shots and more direct attempts. Villa have won each of their last eight by just one goal. They have allowed goals in all but one of those matches.
A statistical correction might be the greatest opponent Villa will encounter in the near future. The forward, surely, will not continue to thrashing the ball past despairing goalkeepers indefinitely.
Could it be another reality where, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs might still rediscover their best form.
Maybe within that lies the possibility for a sustained push, but they surely can continue to depend solely on Morgan Rogers.
However, this was unforeseen. It seemed improbable the team would be in the top three for the holidays. And certainly earlier this season, nobody thought the midfielder now would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit while establishing himself as a crucial England player.
This remarkable period should be enjoyed for the very reason that it appears so improbable. As the match-winner positioned himself before the North End at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. These spells are rare in football and should be relished.
A tech analyst and business strategist with over a decade of experience in global markets, specializing in digital transformation and innovation.
