A mere two months ago when the young forward stood on the Stadium of Light pitch, looking confused while his coach admonished him for missing a through-ball. Back then, with the team endured a six-game winless run, it wasn't clear if his performances were a sign or the source of the team's more general malaise.
“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”
On Sunday, in contrast, the sideline response was entirely much more joyous. When Rogers swept in his second to reinstate the lead for Villa, the Spanish tactician discarded his coat, opened his arms and roared. Villa marched on to ten wins in a row and after failing to win their initial half-dozen fixtures, are somehow only three points behind the leaders Arsenal.
Is This Team Genuine Challengers?
This is an exceptionally difficult proposition to resolve. History, the traditional standing of the club, argues against it. Additionally, they've rarely been completely commanding this season, despite the fact the wins have stacked up.
According to Opta, twice all season has the team registered an expected goals figure significantly higher than the opposition. For a side which has just won 10 in a row, they seem strangely fragile – but right now the margins are going in their favour.
The Rogers Recipe
The current approach appears to be to engage in a shootout with rivals and then rely on their star man to rescue them with some precise efforts. It happened against Leeds, it occurred against West Ham, and once more when facing United.
The initial strike originated from a brilliant finish, arced right inside the goal frame from the corner of the box. The follow-up goal acted as a somewhat messier replica of his first capitalizing on a setup by his strike partner.
“Much like Robben with his left, Rogers’ right foot has become a known threat that remains brutally unstoppable, regardless of anticipation.”
Can It Last?
Reason suggests otherwise. During the latest victory, the opponents managed more efforts and more direct attempts. They have won each of their last eight by a single goal. They’ve conceded in all except one of those fixtures.
A reversion to average may well be the biggest rival Villa have to face over the coming weeks. Rogers, in all likelihood, cannot keep on drilling his shots past despairing goalkeepers week in, week out.
Potential for Growth
Maybe there exists an alternative path in which, rather than luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures might still return to peak condition.
- The centre-forward might resume adding to his goal tally.
- Jadon Sancho may rediscover the force he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are set to regain fitness, bolstering a periodically leaky defensive unit.
This could contain the potential for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely cannot keep relying on a single individual.
Savoring the Moment
Yet, this is a surprise. It seemed improbable Villa would be in the top three for the holidays. And without a doubt earlier this season, nobody thought the midfielder now would be spearheading a championship pursuit while looking like a crucial England player.
The current run should be enjoyed precisely because 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 loving the experience. A feeling he has rightly earned. Such periods are uncommon in the sport and should be relished.
