It was 60 days ago when the Villa attacker stood on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered while the Villa manager scolded him over failing to anticipate a pass in behind. Back then, as the club failed to win in six, doubts remained if his displays were a symptom or the reason of Villa'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 touchline reaction proved to be far more favourable. As the England international swept in his second strike to reinstate his side's advantage, the boss discarded his winter coat, spread his arms and shouted in triumph. The Birmingham club continued to a tenth straight victory and having failed to win their opening six matches, find themselves just three points off pace-setters Arsenal.
Are They Genuine Hopefuls?
That’s a rather hard query to answer. History, a general sense of the club, argues against it. Moreover, they've rarely been entirely convincing this season, even as the wins have piled up.
As per the data, twice all season have Villa had an expected goals figure significantly higher than the opposition. For a club that have put together ten consecutive victories, Villa seem curiously susceptible – however right now the tight outcomes are going in their favour.
The Rogers Recipe
The current approach appears to be to trade blows with the opposition and wait for their star man to bail them out with some clinical strikes. It happened against Leeds, it transpired in London, and it happened against the Red Devils.
Rogers' first goal stemmed from a superb shot, arced just inside the goal frame from the corner of the box. For his second proved to be a somewhat messier replica of the opener 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?
Common sense dictates no. In the recent win, Manchester United registered more efforts and more direct attempts. They have won each of their last eight by just one goal. They’ve conceded in all but one of those fixtures.
A statistical correction may well be the greatest opponent the club will encounter in the near future. The forward, almost certainly, will not continue to blasting the football into the net's top corner forever.
Reasons for Optimism
Maybe there exists an alternative path in which, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, the level of play rises to match the results. Key players could still find their top level.
- Ollie Watkins may begin to finding the net regularly.
- Jadon Sancho may rediscover the force he was at Borussia Dortmund.
- The injured centre-backs will eventually come back from the treatment room, fortifying a sometimes shaky defensive unit.
Maybe within that lies the possibility for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on one man.
Savoring the Moment
But then, this is a surprise. Nobody thought the team would occupy third at Christmas. And without a doubt earlier this season, no one envisioned Rogers as the year closed would be leading a championship pursuit while establishing himself as a vital England player.
The current run is to be savoured precisely because it seems so surreal. When Rogers faced the North End at the final whistle conducting the cheers, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. A feeling he has rightly earned. These runs of form are rare in football and should be relished.
