Just eight weeks in the past when the Villa attacker found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered while the Villa manager berated him for not reading a pass in behind. During that period, as the club endured a six-game winless run, doubts remained if his performances were an indicator or the source for Villa's wider issues.
“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”
This weekend, in contrast, the manager's outburst was decidedly more positive. After the in-form star swept in his second to reinstate Villa's lead, Emery tore off his jacket, opened his arms and shouted in triumph. The team were on their way to a 10th successive win , after failing to win their opening six fixtures, are somehow a mere three points adrift of the leaders Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Serious Challengers?
That’s a rather hard question to resolve. The historical record, the perceived status of this institution, argues against it. Moreover, their performances haven't been entirely convincing during this run, while the wins have stacked up.
According to Opta, in only two games has the side posted an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than the other team. For a team who have strung together ten consecutive victories, the Villans seem curiously susceptible – however right now the fine lines are swinging for them.
The Winning Formula
The prevailing tactic appears to be to engage in a shootout with rivals before hoping their star man to save the day with a couple of crisp finishes. This occurred away to Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and again when facing the Red Devils.
Rogers' first goal came from a brilliant finish, curled precisely inside the upright from the edge of the area. For his second proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one as he pounced 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.”
Can It Last?
Reason suggests otherwise. During the latest victory, the opponents managed a greater number of attempts and more shots on target. They have triumphed in eight consecutive games by just one goal. They have allowed goals in nearly all of those fixtures.
A reversion to average may well be the greatest opponent the club will encounter as the season progresses. The forward, in all likelihood, will not continue to drilling the football past despairing goalkeepers indefinitely.
Potential for Growth
Maybe there exists a different scenario whereby, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures may yet rediscover their best form.
- The centre-forward could start scoring again.
- Jadon Sancho could transform into the performer he was in Germany.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to return from injury, strengthening a periodically leaky backline.
Perhaps there is in that the seeds of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely cannot keep relying on a single individual.
Savoring the Moment
But then, this was unforeseen. Few believed Villa would occupy in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely two months ago, few could imagine Rogers now would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit and appearing as an essential player for the national team.
The current run is to be savoured exactly since it feels so unlikely. As the match-winner 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 are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.
