A mere 60 days prior that the Villa attacker found himself on the pitch at Sunderland, seeming perplexed as the Villa manager berated him over missing a penetrating pass. Back then, with the team went six without a win, it wasn't clear whether Rogers' form were a symptom or a cause of the team's wider issues.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
On Sunday, in contrast, the sideline response was entirely far more favourable. When the in-form star swept in his brace-sealing goal to reclaim his side's advantage, Emery tore off his jacket, opened his arms and roared. The team were on their way to a 10th successive win , having failed to win any of their first six fixtures, are somehow just three points off pace-setters Arsenal.
Is This Team Serious Title Contenders?
That’s a rather hard proposition to answer. History, the traditional standing of the club, indicates otherwise. Moreover, they have not been completely commanding in many games, even as the wins have accumulated.
According to statistical analysis, on just two occasions has the side had an expected goals figure significantly higher than the opposition. For a club which has strung together 10 in a row, the Villans appear strangely fragile – yet at the moment the tight outcomes are going in their favour.
The Winning Formula
The prevailing tactic looks like to exchange chances with the opposition before hoping their talisman to bail them out with some precise efforts. It happened against Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and again versus the Red Devils.
His opener came from an exquisite effort, arced precisely inside the post from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of his first capitalizing 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.”
Is It Sustainable?
Logic says not. Against United, Manchester United managed more shots and more shots on target. They have triumphed in eight consecutive games by a single goal. They’ve conceded in all except one of those matches.
A reversion to average might be the greatest opponent Villa will encounter as the season progresses. Their key man, in all likelihood, cannot keep on blasting the football past despairing goalkeepers forever.
Potential for Growth
Maybe there exists another reality in which, instead of luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players could still rediscover their best form.
- The centre-forward could start adding to his goal tally.
- The winger might become the force he resembled during his peak.
- The defensive duo are set to return from injury, strengthening an occasionally vulnerable defensive unit.
Maybe within that lies the seeds for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on a single individual.
Enjoying the Ride
Yet, nobody expected this. It seemed improbable Aston Villa would sit third at Christmas. And most definitely earlier this season, no one envisioned the young forward by the end of the year would be spearheading a title charge and appearing as a crucial player for the national team.
The current run is to be savoured exactly since it feels so unlikely. As the match-winner positioned himself before the Villa faithful at the final whistle leading the celebrations, it was clear to be loving the experience. A feeling he has rightly earned. These spells are rare in football and should be relished.
