A mere eight weeks in the past when the young forward stood on the Sunderland turf, seeming perplexed while his coach berated him over failing to anticipate a penetrating pass. During that period, as the club went six without a win, the question was whether his performances were a sign or the source of Villa's wider issues.
“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”
In the latest match, however, the manager's outburst was entirely far more favourable. When the England international drilled in his brace-sealing goal to reclaim Villa's lead, Emery ripped off his winter coat, spread his arms and shouted in triumph. The team continued to ten wins in a row and after failing to win their opening six fixtures, find themselves a mere three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Serious Hopefuls?
It remains a rather hard query to address. History, the perceived status of Villa, argues against it. Additionally, their performances haven't been wholly dominant in many games, even as the victories have stacked up.
According to Opta, twice all season have Villa registered an xG notably superior than the other team. For a team who have strung together 10 in a row, they seem weirdly vulnerable – however currently the margins are falling their way.
The Rogers Recipe
Their recent policy seems to be to engage in a shootout with rivals and then rely on their talisman to rescue them with two clinical strikes. It happened against Leeds, it happened against West Ham, and once more versus Manchester United.
The initial strike originated from a superb shot, curled precisely inside the goal frame from the corner of the box. His brace-completing goal proved to be a slight scruffier version of his first capitalizing on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.
“Perhaps Rogers’ right foot is becoming like Arjen Robben’s left: just because you know he’s going to whip the ball into the top corner doesn’t mean you can stop him.”
Is It Sustainable?
Logic says not. During the latest victory, Manchester United had more shots and more direct attempts. Villa have triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in all except one of those fixtures.
A statistical correction might be the biggest rival they must confront in the near future. The forward, almost certainly, cannot keep on blasting the ball into the top corner forever.
Potential for Growth
Perhaps there is another reality in which, rather than results trending towards performances, the level of play rises to match the results. Vital cogs could still find their top level.
- Ollie Watkins could start scoring again.
- The attacking talent may rediscover the performer he resembled during his peak.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to return from injury, fortifying a periodically leaky defensive unit.
Perhaps there is in that the seeds for a sustained push, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on one man.
Savoring the Moment
Yet, this was unforeseen. It seemed improbable Villa would be in the top three for the holidays. And certainly two months ago, no one envisioned Rogers now would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit while looking like an essential Three Lions star.
This winning streak must be cherished for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. When Rogers stood in front of the Villa faithful at the final whistle leading the celebrations, it was clear to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. These runs of form do not happen often and ought to be celebrated.
