A mere 60 days in the past when the young forward stood on the Stadium of Light pitch, looking confused while Unai Emery admonished him for failing to anticipate a pass in behind. During that period, as the club endured a six-game winless run, it wasn't clear whether his performances were an indicator or the reason for the side's broader struggles.
“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”
This weekend, however, the sideline response was entirely much more joyous. When the England international drilled in his second strike to reinstate the lead for Villa, the Spanish tactician discarded his coat, opened his arms and roared. The team continued to ten wins in a row , after failing to win their opening six matches, find themselves only three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.
Is This Team Genuine Hopefuls?
This is a particularly tough query to address. The historical record, a general sense of Villa, suggests not. Furthermore, their performances haven't been entirely convincing during this run, while the positive results have accumulated.
Per Opta, twice all season has the team registered an expected goals figure significantly higher than the opposition. For a side which has put together a ten-match winning streak, the Villans appear strangely fragile – but currently the margins are swinging for them.
The Reliant Strategy
The current approach appears to be to trade blows with rivals before hoping Rogers to bail them out with two precise efforts. This occurred at Leeds, it transpired at West Ham, and it happened versus the Red Devils.
The initial strike originated from a superb shot, arced precisely inside the goal frame from a wide position. For his second proved to be a slight scruffier version of goal number one capitalizing on a setup by his strike partner.
“Rogers’ right foot is now akin to Robben’s legendary left: forewarned does not mean forearmed, and stopping him is another matter entirely.”
How Long Can This Continue?
Logic says not. During the latest victory, Manchester United registered a greater number of attempts and more efforts on goal. The team has triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. They have allowed goals in all but one of those fixtures.
A statistical correction could be the greatest opponent they must confront in the near future. Rogers, surely, cannot maintain blasting the football past despairing goalkeepers forever.
Potential for Growth
Maybe there exists an alternative path where, rather than luck running out, the level of play rises to match the results. Important figures could still return to peak condition.
- The centre-forward may begin to finding the net regularly.
- The attacking talent might become the performer he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
- The injured centre-backs will eventually come back from the treatment room, strengthening a periodically leaky defensive unit.
Maybe within that lies the seeds of a title challenge, however, it is improbable can continue to depend solely on one man.
Savoring the Moment
Yet, nobody expected this. It seemed improbable Villa would sit in a Champions League place in December. And without a doubt earlier this season, few could imagine Rogers by the end of the year would be spearheading a title charge while looking like an essential Three Lions star.
The current run must be cherished precisely because it seems so surreal. When Rogers stood in front of the North End at the final whistle leading the celebrations, he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it. A feeling he has rightly earned. Such periods are rare in football and should be relished.
