Just eight weeks in the past when the young forward stood on the Stadium of Light pitch, seeming perplexed as the Villa manager admonished him over missing a through-ball. At that point, with the team went six without a win, it wasn't clear whether Rogers' form were an indicator or the source of the team's wider issues.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
This weekend, in contrast, the manager's outburst proved to be far more favourable. When the in-form star swept in his second strike to restore the lead for Villa, Emery discarded his jacket, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. The team marched on to ten wins in a row , despite not winning their opening six matches, are somehow a mere three points off the leaders Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Serious Hopefuls?
This is a particularly tough proposition to resolve. The historical record, the traditional standing of Villa, indicates otherwise. Additionally, their performances haven't been entirely convincing in many games, while the wins have accumulated.
As per the data, twice all season have Villa posted an xG notably superior than the other team. For a team which has just won ten consecutive victories, Villa seem weirdly vulnerable – however right now the margins are swinging for them.
The Rogers Recipe
The prevailing tactic seems to be to engage in a shootout with the opposition and then rely on Rogers to save the day with a couple of crisp finishes. It happened at Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and once more versus United.
His opener came from a superb shot, bent just inside the upright from a wide position. His brace-completing goal was essentially a slight scruffier version of goal number one as he pounced 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.”
How Long Can This Continue?
Common sense dictates no. In the recent win, the opposition managed more efforts and more efforts on goal. Villa have won each of their last eight by a single goal. The defence has been breached in all but one of those games.
Regression to the mean might be the greatest opponent Villa have to face in the near future. Their key man, almost certainly, cannot keep on blasting the ball into the top corner week in, week out.
A Case for Belief
Could it be a different scenario in which, instead of results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs could still return to peak condition.
- The main striker may begin to finding the net regularly.
- The attacking talent could transform into the player he showed during his peak.
- The injured centre-backs are due to come back from the treatment room, strengthening a periodically leaky defence.
Maybe within that lies the potential of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely cannot keep relying on one man.
Enjoying the Ride
Yet, this was unforeseen. Nobody thought Villa would occupy in a Champions League place in December. And certainly two months ago, nobody thought Rogers as the year closed would be spearheading a hunt for the title and appearing as an essential player for the national team.
This remarkable period should be enjoyed exactly since it feels so unlikely. As the hero positioned himself before the North End at the final whistle leading the celebrations, he seemed to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. These spells do not happen often and should be relished.
