Just two months prior that the Villa attacker stood on the Stadium of Light pitch, seeming perplexed as his coach admonished him over failing to anticipate a pass in behind. Back then, as Villa endured a six-game winless run, it wasn't clear whether his performances were an indicator or the source for Villa's broader struggles.
“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”
This weekend, though, the touchline reaction was much more joyous. When the in-form star drilled in his second to restore the lead for Villa, the Spanish tactician ripped off his jacket, opened his arms and bellowed. Villa continued to a tenth straight victory and after failing to win their initial half-dozen games, are somehow a mere three points off pace-setters Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Serious Challengers?
That’s a particularly tough proposition to resolve. Past precedent, a general sense of the club, argues against it. Additionally, their performances haven't been wholly dominant during this run, despite the fact the wins have accumulated.
According to statistical analysis, twice all season has the side had an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a team which has put together 10 in a row, they look weirdly vulnerable – but right now the tight outcomes are falling their way.
The Rogers Recipe
The prevailing tactic appears to be to exchange chances with an opponent and wait for Rogers to save the day with two precise efforts. It happened against Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and it happened when facing United.
Rogers' first goal stemmed from an exquisite effort, curled just inside the post from the corner of the box. The follow-up goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of his first as he pounced 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 more efforts and more shots on target. Villa have triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in all except one of those games.
A statistical correction may well be the most significant challenge Villa have to face in the near future. Rogers, almost certainly, cannot maintain drilling the ball into the net's top corner week in, week out.
Reasons for Optimism
Perhaps there is an alternative path whereby, instead of results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs could still find their top level.
- The centre-forward might resume scoring again.
- Jadon Sancho might become the force he resembled in Germany.
- The injured centre-backs are set to come back from the treatment room, fortifying a sometimes shaky defence.
Maybe within that lies the possibility for a sustained push, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on one man.
Savoring the Moment
But then, nobody expected this. It seemed improbable the team would be third at Christmas. And most definitely back in October, no one envisioned Rogers by the end of the year would be spearheading a title charge while establishing himself as a vital Three Lions star.
The current run must be cherished exactly since it feels so unlikely. When the hero positioned himself before the Villa faithful at the final whistle leading the celebrations, he seemed to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. Such periods do not happen often and must be appreciated.
