A mere 60 days prior when the Villa attacker stood on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered while the Villa manager scolded him for not reading a pass in behind. At that point, with the team endured a six-game winless run, doubts remained if his displays were a symptom or a cause for Villa's broader struggles.
“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”
On Sunday, in contrast, the sideline response was entirely far more favourable. After the in-form star curled home his second strike to reinstate the lead for Villa, the boss tore off his jacket, opened his arms and shouted in triumph. Villa continued to a tenth straight victory , having failed to win any of their first six fixtures, are somehow just three points adrift of the leaders Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Genuine Challengers?
That’s a rather hard question to address. The historical record, a general sense of this institution, suggests not. Furthermore, their performances haven't been entirely convincing this season, while the wins have accumulated.
Per Opta, twice all season has the side had an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a team which has strung together ten consecutive victories, Villa look strangely fragile – however at the moment the margins are swinging for them.
The Winning Formula
The current approach appears to be to engage in a shootout with rivals and wait for Rogers to rescue them with some crisp finishes. This was the case away to Leeds, it transpired at West Ham, and once more against the Red Devils.
Rogers' first goal stemmed from a brilliant finish, curled right inside the goal frame from the corner of the box. His brace-completing goal acted as a somewhat messier replica of goal number one as he seized on a pass from Watkins.
“Much like Robben with his left, Rogers’ right foot has become a known threat that remains brutally unstoppable, regardless of anticipation.”
Is It Sustainable?
Logic says not. During the latest victory, the opposition had a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. The team has triumphed in eight consecutive games by just one goal. They have allowed goals in nearly all of those games.
A statistical correction might be the most significant challenge the club must confront in the near future. Rogers, almost certainly, cannot maintain blasting his shots into the net's top corner indefinitely.
Reasons for Optimism
Maybe there exists a different scenario whereby, instead of results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs may yet return to peak condition.
- The main striker could start scoring again.
- Jadon Sancho could transform into the performer he showed at Borussia Dortmund.
- The defensive duo will eventually regain fitness, fortifying a periodically leaky backline.
Maybe within that lies the possibility for a sustained push, however, it is improbable can persist in leaning entirely on a single individual.
Enjoying the Ride
But then, nobody expected this. Nobody thought Villa would occupy in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely back in October, few could imagine the young forward by the end of the year would be leading a hunt for the title while establishing himself as a crucial player for the national team.
This remarkable period should be enjoyed precisely because it feels so unlikely. When Rogers stood in front of the home supporters when the game ended orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. Which he fully merits. These runs of form are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.
