It was 60 days prior when the young forward stood on the pitch at Sunderland, seeming perplexed while his coach scolded him over missing a pass in behind. At that point, with the team failed to win in six, it wasn't clear whether his displays were a sign or a cause of the side's wider issues.
“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”
On Sunday, though, the sideline response was much more joyous. After Rogers curled home his second to reclaim his side's advantage, Emery discarded his jacket, opened his arms and bellowed. Villa were on their way to ten wins in a row , despite not winning their opening six matches, find themselves only three points off pace-setters Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Legitimate Hopefuls?
That’s a particularly tough question to resolve. The historical record, the traditional standing of the club, suggests not. Furthermore, they have not been completely commanding in many games, while the positive results have piled up.
Per Opta, twice all season has the team had an xG more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a side that have just won ten consecutive victories, they look weirdly vulnerable – but right now the tight outcomes are swinging for them.
The Rogers Recipe
The current approach seems to be to trade blows with the opposition and wait for Rogers to bail them out with a couple of clinical strikes. It happened away to Leeds, it transpired in London, and again when facing United.
Rogers' first goal originated from a brilliant finish, bent just inside the upright from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal acted as a slight scruffier version of the opener capitalizing on a setup by his strike partner.
“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 registered more efforts and more shots on target. The team has won each of their last eight by just one goal. They’ve conceded in all except one of those games.
Regression to the mean may well be the most significant challenge Villa must confront over the coming weeks. Their key man, surely, will not continue to drilling his shots into the top corner week in, week out.
A Case for Belief
Maybe there exists a different scenario in which, instead of results trending towards performances, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Key players might still find their top level.
- The main striker may begin to scoring again.
- The winger may rediscover the force he was in Germany.
- The injured centre-backs are due to return from injury, strengthening a periodically leaky defensive unit.
Perhaps there is in that the potential of a genuine bid, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on a single individual.
Enjoying the Ride
But then, this is a surprise. Nobody thought Aston Villa would occupy third at Christmas. And most definitely back in October, few could imagine Rogers as the year closed would be leading a hunt for the title and appearing as an essential player for the national team.
This remarkable period should be enjoyed for the very reason that it seems so surreal. As the match-winner stood in front of the Villa faithful when the game ended leading the celebrations, he seemed to be relishing every moment. Which he fully merits. Such periods are rare in football and should be relished.
