A mere 60 days prior when the Villa attacker was standing on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered as his coach berated him for missing a through-ball. Back then, as the club failed to win in six, doubts remained whether Rogers' form were a sign or a cause of the side's wider issues.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
This weekend, in contrast, the manager's outburst was much more joyous. When the in-form star curled home his second strike to reinstate his side's advantage, Emery discarded his jacket, threw his arms wide and roared. The team continued to ten wins in a row , after failing to win any of their first six games, are somehow only three points adrift of pace-setters Arsenal.
Are They Serious Hopefuls?
It remains a particularly tough proposition to resolve. Past precedent, a general sense of this institution, argues against it. Furthermore, they've rarely been completely commanding this season, even as the positive results have accumulated.
As per statistical analysis, on just two occasions has the side registered an expected goals figure significantly higher than the opposition. For a side who have strung together ten consecutive victories, they look curiously susceptible – but right now the tight outcomes are going in their favour.
The Rogers Recipe
The current approach seems to be to exchange chances with rivals and then rely on Rogers to bail them out with a couple of crisp finishes. This was the case at Leeds, it occurred in London, and once more when facing the Red Devils.
Rogers' first goal came from a brilliant finish, arced precisely inside the upright from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one 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.”
Is It Sustainable?
Reason suggests otherwise. Against United, the opponents registered more shots and more shots on target. Villa have secured their last eight victories by a single goal. The defence has been breached in all but one of those fixtures.
Regression to the mean may well be the biggest rival they will encounter as the season progresses. Rogers, almost certainly, cannot maintain blasting the football past despairing goalkeepers forever.
A Case for Belief
Could it be another reality whereby, rather than luck running out, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Vital cogs may yet find their top level.
- Ollie Watkins could start scoring again.
- The attacking talent could transform into the force he showed in Germany.
- The defensive duo are set to return from injury, bolstering a periodically leaky defence.
This could contain the possibility for a sustained push, however, it is improbable can continue to depend solely on one man.
Enjoying the Ride
Yet, nobody expected this. It seemed improbable the team would sit third at Christmas. And certainly back in October, no one envisioned the midfielder now would be leading a championship pursuit while looking like an essential player for the national team.
This remarkable period should be enjoyed precisely because it seems so surreal. When the hero positioned himself before the North End after the match orchestrating the applause, it was clear to be relishing every moment. A feeling he has rightly earned. These spells are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.
