A mere 60 days ago when the Villa attacker stood on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered as Unai Emery berated him over not reading a pass in behind. At that point, as Villa went six without a win, it wasn't clear if Rogers' form were an indicator or a cause for the side's broader struggles.
“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”
On Sunday, however, the manager's outburst proved to be much more joyous. As Rogers drilled in his second strike to reclaim Villa's lead, Emery discarded his winter coat, opened his arms and shouted in triumph. Villa were on their way to a 10th successive win , after failing to win their initial half-dozen fixtures, find themselves just three points off table-toppers Arsenal.
Is This Team Legitimate Title Contenders?
It remains an exceptionally difficult query to answer. History, the traditional standing of Villa, suggests not. Additionally, their performances haven't been entirely convincing in many games, while the victories have piled up.
Per Opta, on just two occasions has the team had an expected goals figure notably superior than the opposition. For a club who have strung together ten consecutive victories, they appear strangely fragile – yet at the moment the tight outcomes are falling their way.
The Winning Formula
The current approach appears to be to exchange chances with an opponent and then rely on their star man to rescue them with a couple of clinical strikes. This occurred against Leeds, it occurred in London, and it happened when facing the Red Devils.
His opener came from a superb shot, bent precisely inside the upright from the edge of the area. The follow-up goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration of his first as he pounced on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.
“Much like Robben with his left, Rogers’ right foot has become a known threat that remains brutally unstoppable, regardless of anticipation.”
Is It Sustainable?
Common sense dictates no. Against United, Manchester United registered more efforts and more direct attempts. The team has triumphed in eight consecutive games by a single goal. The defence has been breached in nearly all of those matches.
Regression to the mean might be the biggest rival the club will encounter as the season progresses. The forward, almost certainly, cannot maintain drilling the ball into the top corner forever.
A Case for Belief
Perhaps there is another reality in which, rather than luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures might still find their top level.
- The main striker might resume adding to his goal tally.
- Jadon Sancho may rediscover the performer he showed in Germany.
- The injured centre-backs are set to return from injury, strengthening a sometimes shaky defence.
Maybe within that lies the potential of a title challenge, however, it is improbable can continue to depend solely on a single individual.
Enjoying the Ride
But then, this was unforeseen. Nobody thought the team would sit third at Christmas. And most definitely two months ago, nobody thought the midfielder by the end of the year would be leading a title charge and appearing as a crucial England player.
This winning streak should be enjoyed for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. When the match-winner stood in front of the Villa faithful at the final whistle leading the celebrations, it was clear to be relishing every moment. A feeling he has rightly earned. These spells are uncommon in the sport and ought to be celebrated.
