🔗 Share this article

Just eight weeks prior that the young forward found himself on the pitch at Sunderland, seeming perplexed as the Villa manager admonished him for not reading a through-ball. Back then, with the team endured a six-game winless run, the question was if his displays were a symptom or the reason of the team's more general malaise.

“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”

This weekend, though, the sideline response was entirely much more joyous. After the England international drilled in his second strike to reclaim the lead for Villa, the boss tore off his winter coat, threw his arms wide and bellowed. The Birmingham club continued to a tenth straight victory , despite not winning their initial half-dozen matches, find themselves just three points off the leaders Arsenal.

Is This Team Serious Title Contenders?

This is an exceptionally difficult query to answer. The historical record, the perceived status of the club, argues against it. Furthermore, they have not been wholly dominant this season, while the positive results have accumulated.

Per Opta, in only two games have Villa had an xG notably superior than their opponents. For a club that have just won ten consecutive victories, the Villans appear curiously susceptible – yet at the moment the margins are going in their favour.

The Reliant Strategy

The current approach looks like to engage in a shootout with an opponent and wait for their talisman to rescue them with two crisp finishes. This was the case away to Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and again versus the Red Devils.

His opener stemmed from a superb shot, curled precisely inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. For his second acted as a slight scruffier version of the opener as he seized on a pass from Watkins.

“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.”

Is It Sustainable?

Common sense dictates no. During the latest victory, the opposition managed more efforts and more direct attempts. They have secured their last eight victories by a single goal. The defence has been breached in all except one of those games.

Regression to the mean may well be the greatest opponent they have to face in the near future. The forward, surely, will not continue to drilling the ball past despairing goalkeepers indefinitely.

Reasons for Optimism

Perhaps there is a different scenario where, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Key players may yet rediscover their best form.

• Ollie Watkins may begin to scoring again.
• The winger could transform into the force he showed during his peak.
• The defensive duo are set to return from injury, bolstering a periodically leaky defence.

Maybe within that lies the possibility for a sustained push, however, it is improbable cannot keep relying on one man.

Enjoying the Ride

Yet, nobody expected this. It seemed improbable the team would occupy in a Champions League place in December. And without a doubt back in October, no one envisioned the young forward as the year closed would be spearheading a championship pursuit while establishing himself as an essential Three Lions star.

The current run must be cherished precisely because it seems so surreal. As the hero positioned himself before the North End after the match orchestrating the applause, he seemed to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. These runs of form are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.