It was two months prior that the Villa attacker stood on the Sunderland turf, looking confused while his coach admonished him over missing a through-ball. Back then, as the club went six without a win, doubts remained if his performances were a sign or the source of the side's more general malaise.
“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”
In the latest match, though, the manager's outburst was much more joyous. After the in-form star drilled in his brace-sealing goal to reinstate Villa's lead, the boss discarded his coat, opened his arms and shouted in triumph. Villa continued to a tenth straight victory , after failing to win their opening six games, are somehow a mere three points adrift of pace-setters Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Legitimate Challengers?
It remains an exceptionally difficult proposition to address. The historical record, a general sense of Villa, argues against it. Additionally, they have not been completely commanding during this run, even as the victories have piled up.
As per the data, on just two occasions has the side had an expected goals figure significantly higher than the opposition. For a club that have just won 10 in a row, the Villans seem curiously susceptible – however right now the tight outcomes are falling their way.
The Reliant Strategy
The prevailing tactic appears to be to engage in a shootout with an opponent before hoping their talisman to bail them out with two crisp finishes. This occurred away to Leeds, it happened against West Ham, and it happened against the Red Devils.
Rogers' first goal came from a superb shot, bent just inside the post from a wide position. His brace-completing goal acted as a somewhat messier replica of the opener capitalizing on a setup by his strike partner.
“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.”
How Long Can This Continue?
Reason suggests otherwise. During the latest victory, the opposition had more efforts and more shots on target. The team has won each of their last eight by a single goal. The defence has been breached in all except one of those matches.
A reversion to average could be the biggest rival Villa have to face in the near future. The forward, in all likelihood, cannot keep on thrashing his shots into the top corner week in, week out.
Reasons for Optimism
Could it be another reality in which, instead of results trending towards performances, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Key players may yet return to peak condition.
- Ollie Watkins may begin to scoring again.
- The attacking talent might become the player he showed at Borussia Dortmund.
- The defensive duo are set to come back from the treatment room, bolstering a periodically leaky defence.
This could contain the seeds of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely can persist in leaning entirely on one man.
Enjoying the Ride
Yet, nobody expected this. Few believed Villa would occupy third at Christmas. And certainly two months ago, few could imagine Rogers now would be leading a title charge while looking like a crucial England player.
This remarkable period should be enjoyed precisely because it feels so unlikely. As the hero faced the Villa faithful at the final whistle leading the celebrations, he appeared to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. Such periods are rare in football and must be appreciated.
