It was two months prior when the young forward was standing on the pitch at Sunderland, looking confused while the Villa manager admonished him over not reading a penetrating pass. At that point, as the club failed to win in six, doubts remained whether Rogers' form were a symptom or a cause of the side's more general malaise.
“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”
On Sunday, though, the manager's outburst was entirely much more joyous. When the England international curled home his brace-sealing goal to reclaim his side's advantage, the boss discarded his winter coat, opened his arms and roared. Villa marched on to ten wins in a row , having failed to win their opening six games, are somehow just three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.
Is This Team Genuine Hopefuls?
This is a rather hard proposition to resolve. Past precedent, the traditional standing of Villa, argues against it. Moreover, their performances haven't been entirely convincing during this run, even as the positive results have accumulated.
Per Opta, in only two games has the team posted an expected goals figure notably superior than the opposition. For a club which has put together ten consecutive victories, they look curiously susceptible – yet right now the margins are falling their way.
The Reliant Strategy
The current approach seems to be to exchange chances with the opposition and then rely on their star man to save the day with a couple of crisp finishes. This occurred away to Leeds, it occurred in London, and once more against Manchester United.
The initial strike came from an exquisite effort, bent precisely inside the upright from the edge of the area. The follow-up goal proved to be a slight scruffier version of the opener as he seized on a setup by his strike partner.
“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?
Reason suggests otherwise. Against United, Manchester United managed a greater number of attempts and more shots on target. Villa have won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in all but one of those fixtures.
Regression to the mean might be the greatest opponent they have to face as the season progresses. The forward, in all likelihood, cannot maintain blasting the football into the net's top corner forever.
Reasons for Optimism
Maybe there exists a different scenario in which, rather than luck running out, the level of play rises to match the results. Important figures may yet return to peak condition.
- Ollie Watkins might resume adding to his goal tally.
- Jadon Sancho could transform into the force he showed during his peak.
- The injured centre-backs will eventually come back from the treatment room, fortifying an occasionally vulnerable backline.
Maybe within that lies the potential of a title challenge, however, it is improbable can persist in leaning entirely on a single individual.
Enjoying the Ride
However, nobody expected this. Few believed Villa would be in the top three for the holidays. And certainly earlier this season, nobody thought the midfielder as the year closed would be leading a hunt for the title while looking like an essential Three Lions star.
This winning streak must be cherished for the very reason that it appears so improbable. As Rogers faced the home supporters after the match leading the celebrations, it was clear to be loving the experience. A feeling he has rightly earned. These spells do not happen often and must be appreciated.
