Just eight weeks ago when the Villa attacker stood on the Stadium of Light pitch, looking confused while the Villa manager admonished him for not reading a penetrating pass. At that point, as Villa went six without a win, doubts remained if his displays were an indicator or a cause 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, however, the touchline reaction was entirely far more favourable. After the in-form star swept in his second strike to reclaim his side's advantage, Emery ripped off his jacket, opened his arms and bellowed. The team continued to ten wins in a row , having failed to win their initial half-dozen games, are somehow only three points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Serious Challengers?
It remains an exceptionally difficult proposition to answer. History, the traditional standing of this institution, argues against it. Furthermore, they have not been completely commanding in many games, while the wins have accumulated.
Per the data, in only two games has the team registered an expected goals figure significantly higher than their opponents. For a club which has just won ten consecutive victories, they seem weirdly vulnerable – however currently the tight outcomes are falling their way.
The Rogers Recipe
The current approach looks like to trade blows with rivals and wait for their star man to save the day with two clinical strikes. This occurred away to Leeds, it happened in London, and again versus United.
His opener originated from a superb shot, curled precisely inside the post from a wide position. His brace-completing goal proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one as he seized on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.
“Much like Robben with his left, Rogers’ right foot has become a known threat that remains brutally unstoppable, regardless of anticipation.”
How Long Can This Continue?
Common sense dictates no. In the recent win, the opponents registered more shots and more efforts on goal. Villa have secured their last eight victories by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in all but one of those fixtures.
A statistical correction could be the most significant challenge the club will encounter in the near future. Their key man, in all likelihood, cannot maintain blasting the ball into the net's top corner indefinitely.
Reasons for Optimism
Maybe there exists a different scenario where, instead of results trending towards performances, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Key players might still find their top level.
- The centre-forward might resume scoring again.
- Jadon Sancho may rediscover the force he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to return from injury, fortifying a periodically leaky defensive unit.
This could contain the possibility of a title challenge, but they surely can continue to depend solely on a single individual.
Savoring the Moment
However, this is a surprise. Nobody thought the team would be third at Christmas. And certainly earlier this season, nobody thought the midfielder by the end of the year would be spearheading a championship pursuit and appearing as a crucial player for the national team.
The current run is to be savoured exactly since it feels so unlikely. As Rogers positioned himself before the North End at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. Such periods do not happen often and should be relished.
