It was 60 days ago when the young forward stood on the Sunderland turf, looking confused while his coach admonished him over missing a through-ball. At that point, with the team endured a six-game winless run, it wasn't clear whether Rogers' form were a sign or the source for Villa's more general malaise.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
This weekend, however, the manager's outburst was far more favourable. As Rogers curled home his second to restore the lead for Villa, Emery discarded his winter coat, spread his arms and roared. The Birmingham club were on their way to ten wins in a row , after failing to win any of their first six fixtures, find themselves a mere three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.
Are They Serious Title Contenders?
It remains a particularly tough question to answer. History, the perceived status of the club, indicates otherwise. Moreover, they've rarely been entirely convincing this season, despite the fact the victories have stacked up.
As per the data, on just two occasions have Villa registered an xG more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a club who have put together ten consecutive victories, Villa look curiously susceptible – however right now the tight outcomes are falling their way.
The Winning Formula
Their recent policy looks like to exchange chances with an opponent and then rely on their star man to save the day with a couple of precise efforts. This occurred away to Leeds, it happened in London, and once more versus United.
His opener stemmed from a superb shot, bent just inside the post from a wide position. For his second was essentially a slightly less clean iteration 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.”
Is It Sustainable?
Common sense dictates no. During the latest victory, the opposition had more efforts and more direct attempts. They have secured their last eight victories by the narrowest of margins. They have allowed goals in all except one of those matches.
A statistical correction may well be the greatest opponent the club will encounter as the season progresses. Their key man, in all likelihood, will not continue to thrashing his shots into the net's top corner forever.
Potential for Growth
Could it be an alternative path where, instead of results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures may yet return to peak condition.
- The main striker might resume finding the net regularly.
- The attacking talent could transform into the force he showed in Germany.
- The defensive duo will eventually regain fitness, fortifying a periodically leaky defence.
Perhaps there is in that the potential of a genuine bid, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on a single individual.
Relishing the Unlikely
But then, nobody expected this. It seemed improbable the team would sit in the top three for the holidays. And certainly earlier this season, few could imagine the young forward by the end of the year would be leading a championship pursuit and appearing as an essential Three Lions star.
This winning streak is to be savoured exactly since it feels so unlikely. As the match-winner faced the North End at the final whistle leading the celebrations, it was clear to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. Such periods do not happen often and must be appreciated.
