A mere eight weeks ago when the young forward was standing on the Stadium of Light pitch, looking confused while his coach berated him for missing a pass in behind. At that point, as the club went six without a win, the question was if Rogers' form were an indicator or the source of 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, however, the manager's outburst was entirely far more favourable. After Rogers swept in his second to reinstate Villa's lead, Emery discarded his winter coat, opened his arms and shouted in triumph. The team were on their way to a tenth straight victory , despite not winning their opening six fixtures, find themselves a mere three points off pace-setters Arsenal.
Is This Team Genuine Challengers?
This is a particularly tough proposition to address. Past precedent, a general sense of the club, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, they've rarely been completely commanding in many games, even as the positive results have piled up.
Per statistical analysis, in only two games has the side had an xG significantly higher than the opposition. For a team that have put together ten consecutive victories, Villa appear curiously susceptible – however right now the margins are falling their way.
The Winning Formula
Their recent policy seems to be to trade blows with an opponent before hoping their star man to save the day with a couple of crisp finishes. This occurred at Leeds, it happened at West Ham, and it happened against United.
Rogers' first goal stemmed from a brilliant finish, bent precisely inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of the opener as he seized 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.”
How Long Can This Continue?
Common sense dictates no. Against United, the opposition registered more efforts and more efforts on goal. They have won each of their last eight by a single goal. They’ve conceded in all except one of those matches.
A reversion to average may well be the greatest opponent the club will encounter as the season progresses. Their key man, surely, will not continue to thrashing the football past despairing goalkeepers indefinitely.
Potential for Growth
Perhaps there is an alternative path whereby, instead of results trending towards performances, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Important figures may yet return to peak condition.
- The centre-forward might resume scoring again.
- The attacking talent may rediscover the performer he resembled in Germany.
- The defensive duo will eventually return from injury, strengthening an occasionally vulnerable backline.
Maybe within that lies the seeds of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely cannot keep relying on one man.
Enjoying the Ride
However, this was unforeseen. It seemed improbable the team would sit in the top three for the holidays. And certainly back in October, few could imagine Rogers now would be leading a hunt for the title while establishing himself as an essential England player.
This remarkable period must be cherished for the very reason that it seems so surreal. As the match-winner faced the North End when the game ended orchestrating the applause, it was clear to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. Such periods do not happen often and must be appreciated.
