A mere eight weeks prior when the young forward stood on the pitch at Sunderland, seeming perplexed while the Villa manager admonished him over failing to anticipate a through-ball. At that point, with the team went six without a win, the question was whether Rogers' form were a sign or a cause 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 proved to be much more joyous. After the in-form star curled home his second to restore Villa's lead, Emery ripped off his winter coat, spread his arms and shouted in triumph. The team were on their way to ten wins in a row and having failed to win their initial half-dozen fixtures, now sit just three points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal.
Are They Genuine Title Contenders?
It remains a rather hard question to resolve. History, a general sense of Villa, suggests not. Furthermore, their performances haven't been entirely convincing during this run, even as the positive results have piled up.
As per statistical analysis, on just two occasions have Villa posted an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a club which has strung together 10 in a row, the Villans appear weirdly vulnerable – but at the moment the fine lines are swinging for them.
The Rogers Recipe
The current approach appears to be to engage in a shootout with rivals and then rely on their talisman to rescue them with a couple of clinical strikes. This was the case at Leeds, it happened against West Ham, and again when facing the Red Devils.
His opener originated from a brilliant finish, arced just inside the post from a wide position. For his second was essentially a slight scruffier version of the opener capitalizing 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.”
How Long Can This Continue?
Logic says not. During the latest victory, the opponents registered more efforts and more shots on target. They have won each of their last eight by just one goal. They have allowed goals in all except one of those matches.
A reversion to average could be the most significant challenge they have to face as the season progresses. Their key man, surely, will not continue to blasting the football past despairing goalkeepers forever.
A Case for Belief
Maybe there exists an alternative path whereby, rather than results trending towards performances, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Vital cogs could still return to peak condition.
- The centre-forward might resume adding to his goal tally.
- The winger might become the performer he was during his peak.
- The injured centre-backs are set to return from injury, bolstering an occasionally vulnerable backline.
Perhaps there is in that the possibility for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely can persist in leaning entirely on a single individual.
Enjoying the Ride
However, nobody expected this. Nobody thought the team would occupy third at Christmas. And certainly back in October, no one envisioned the midfielder as the year closed would be spearheading a championship pursuit while establishing himself as an essential Three Lions star.
This winning streak must be cherished for the very reason that it seems so surreal. When the hero stood in front of the North End after the match orchestrating the applause, he seemed to be relishing every moment. Which he fully merits. Such periods are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.
