A mere two months prior that the young forward found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered as Unai Emery scolded him for failing to anticipate a through-ball. Back then, as Villa went six without a win, the question was if his displays were an indicator or the reason of the side's wider issues.
“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”
In the latest match, in contrast, the manager's outburst proved to be far more favourable. After the England international swept in his second strike to restore the lead for Villa, Emery discarded his jacket, spread his arms and bellowed. The Birmingham club continued to a 10th successive win and after failing to win their initial half-dozen games, are somehow a mere three points adrift of pace-setters Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Legitimate Title Contenders?
It remains a rather hard question to address. History, the traditional standing of this institution, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, they have not been entirely convincing this season, even as the victories have stacked up.
Per Opta, twice all season has the side registered an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than the other team. For a side that have put together 10 in a row, Villa seem weirdly vulnerable – but currently the fine lines are going in their favour.
The Winning Formula
The prevailing tactic seems to be to trade blows with rivals before hoping their star man to rescue them with a couple of clinical strikes. It happened against Leeds, it occurred against West Ham, and it happened when facing the Red Devils.
His opener originated from a brilliant finish, arced just inside the post from the corner of the box. His brace-completing goal proved to be a slight scruffier version of the opener 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.”
Can It Last?
Common sense dictates no. Against United, the opposition registered a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. The team has triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in all but one of those fixtures.
Regression to the mean might be the greatest opponent they must confront in the near future. Rogers, surely, cannot maintain blasting the football past despairing goalkeepers week in, week out.
Reasons for Optimism
Could it be a different scenario where, instead of results trending towards performances, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Key players could still rediscover their best form.
- The centre-forward might resume adding to his goal tally.
- The winger could transform into the force he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
- The defensive duo will eventually return from injury, bolstering a sometimes shaky defensive unit.
Perhaps there is in that the possibility for a sustained push, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on a single individual.
Enjoying the Ride
But then, this was unforeseen. Few believed the team would sit in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely earlier this season, nobody thought the midfielder as the year closed would be spearheading a title charge and appearing as an essential Three Lions star.
The current run is to be savoured for the very reason that it seems so surreal. As Rogers faced the North End after the match orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be relishing every moment. A feeling he has rightly earned. Such periods do not happen often and should be relished.
