It was two months ago that the young forward found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered as his coach admonished him over missing a through-ball. At that point, with the team endured a six-game winless run, the question was if his performances were a sign or the source of Villa's more general malaise.
“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”
On Sunday, however, the touchline reaction was far more favourable. When the England international swept in his second strike to reclaim Villa's lead, the Spanish tactician ripped off his jacket, opened his arms and bellowed. Villa continued to ten wins in a row and having failed to win their initial half-dozen matches, now sit only three points adrift of pace-setters Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Genuine Title Contenders?
This is a particularly tough question to answer. The historical record, the perceived status of the club, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, their performances haven't been completely commanding in many games, while the victories have accumulated.
According to the data, twice all season have Villa had an expected goals figure notably superior than the other team. For a side which has put together 10 in a row, Villa seem strangely fragile – yet at the moment the fine lines are falling their way.
The Rogers Recipe
The prevailing tactic seems to be to trade blows with an opponent and wait for their talisman to save the day with a couple of precise efforts. This occurred away to Leeds, it transpired in London, and again when facing United.
Rogers' first goal came from an exquisite effort, curled precisely inside the post from the corner of the box. The follow-up goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration 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.”
Is It Sustainable?
Logic says not. During the latest victory, the opponents managed more efforts and more shots on target. Villa have secured their last eight victories by just one goal. They have allowed goals in all but one of those games.
A reversion to average could be the biggest rival they must confront over the coming weeks. The forward, in all likelihood, cannot keep on blasting the football past despairing goalkeepers indefinitely.
Potential for Growth
Maybe there exists another reality where, rather than luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs might still return to peak condition.
- The centre-forward could start adding to his goal tally.
- The attacking talent may rediscover the performer he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
- The defensive duo will eventually regain fitness, bolstering a periodically leaky defensive unit.
Perhaps there is in that the seeds for a sustained push, however, it is improbable can continue to depend solely on one man.
Relishing the Unlikely
However, this was unforeseen. It seemed improbable Aston Villa would occupy in a Champions League place in December. And certainly two months ago, few could imagine the midfielder as the year closed would be spearheading a hunt for the title and appearing as an essential England player.
This winning streak must be cherished exactly since it feels so unlikely. When the match-winner positioned himself before the home supporters when the game ended leading the celebrations, he seemed to be loving the experience. A feeling he has rightly earned. Such periods do not happen often and should be relished.
