It was 60 days in the past that the young forward found himself on the pitch at Sunderland, seeming perplexed as the Villa manager berated him for failing to anticipate a penetrating pass. At that point, as Villa endured a six-game winless run, doubts remained if Rogers' form were an indicator or a cause of Villa's broader struggles.
“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”
In the latest match, in contrast, the manager's outburst was much more joyous. When the England international swept in his second to reinstate the lead for Villa, the boss discarded his jacket, spread his arms and bellowed. The Birmingham club were on their way to a 10th successive win , having failed to win any of their first six fixtures, are somehow only three points off table-toppers Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Genuine Hopefuls?
It remains a rather hard query to address. History, the perceived status of the club, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, they have not been completely commanding in many games, while the wins have piled up.
Per Opta, on just two occasions have Villa had an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a team that have put together 10 in a row, Villa appear weirdly vulnerable – however right now the margins are going in their favour.
The Winning Formula
Their recent policy appears to be to trade blows with the opposition and then rely on their talisman to rescue them with two clinical strikes. This occurred away to Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and again versus Manchester United.
Rogers' first goal originated from an exquisite effort, curled just inside the post from the edge of the area. The follow-up goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one capitalizing 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.”
Is It Sustainable?
Logic says not. In the recent win, the opponents registered more efforts and more efforts on goal. They have secured their last eight victories by a single goal. They’ve conceded in all except one of those matches.
Regression to the mean may well be the greatest opponent Villa must confront as the season progresses. The forward, almost certainly, cannot keep on blasting his shots into the top corner indefinitely.
A Case for Belief
Could it be another reality where, rather than results trending towards performances, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Important figures might still return to peak condition.
- The centre-forward may begin to adding to his goal tally.
- The attacking talent might become the force he was in Germany.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are set to come back from the treatment room, fortifying an occasionally vulnerable defensive unit.
Perhaps there is in that the potential of a genuine bid, but they surely can continue to depend solely on one man.
Enjoying the Ride
But then, this is a surprise. Nobody thought Aston Villa would sit in the top three for the holidays. And certainly back in October, few could imagine Rogers as the year closed would be spearheading a championship pursuit while establishing himself as an essential Three Lions star.
This remarkable period should be enjoyed precisely because it seems so surreal. When the hero faced the North End at the final whistle leading the celebrations, he seemed to be loving the experience. A feeling he has rightly earned. These runs of form do not happen often and should be relished.
