It was eight weeks ago when the Villa attacker was standing on the Stadium of Light pitch, seeming perplexed while the Villa manager scolded him over not reading a through-ball. At that point, with the team went six without a win, doubts remained whether Rogers' form were a symptom or the source for the side's more general malaise.
“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”
On Sunday, in contrast, the manager's outburst was decidedly more positive. As the in-form star curled home his second to reclaim the lead for Villa, the boss discarded his winter coat, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. The team marched on to ten wins in a row and after failing to win their initial half-dozen fixtures, now sit only three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.
Are They Legitimate Hopefuls?
That’s a particularly tough question to resolve. Past precedent, a general sense of the club, indicates otherwise. Moreover, they've rarely been wholly dominant during this run, while the wins have stacked up.
According to the data, in only two games has the team had an xG significantly higher than the opposition. For a club who have just won ten consecutive victories, the Villans appear strangely fragile – however right now the fine lines are swinging for them.
The Rogers Recipe
Their recent policy appears to be to exchange chances with an opponent and wait for their talisman to rescue them with two clinical strikes. It happened at Leeds, it happened against West Ham, and once more when facing the Red Devils.
Rogers' first goal stemmed from an exquisite effort, bent just inside the post from the corner of the box. His brace-completing goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of his first as he pounced on a pass from Watkins.
“Rogers’ right foot is now akin to Robben’s legendary left: forewarned does not mean forearmed, and stopping him is another matter entirely.”
Is It Sustainable?
Common sense dictates no. Against United, the opponents managed a greater number of attempts and more shots on target. Villa have triumphed in eight consecutive games by just one goal. The defence has been breached in all but one of those games.
A statistical correction might be the biggest rival the club will encounter as the season progresses. The forward, in all likelihood, cannot keep on drilling the ball into the top corner forever.
Reasons for Optimism
Maybe there exists a different scenario in which, rather than luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players might still return to peak condition.
- The main striker could start scoring again.
- The winger may rediscover the player he resembled in Germany.
- The defensive duo are due to come back from the treatment room, strengthening a periodically leaky backline.
This could contain the seeds for a sustained push, however, it is improbable can persist in leaning entirely on a single individual.
Enjoying the Ride
But then, this is a surprise. Nobody thought Aston Villa would be in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely back in October, nobody thought the young forward as the year closed would be leading a title charge while establishing himself as a crucial Three Lions star.
The current run is to be savoured exactly since it seems so surreal. When the hero stood in front of the home supporters at the final whistle conducting the cheers, it was clear to be thoroughly enjoying it. Which he fully merits. Such periods are uncommon in the sport and ought to be celebrated.
