It was two months prior that the Villa attacker found himself on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered as Unai Emery berated him for missing a penetrating pass. During that period, as Villa endured a six-game winless run, it wasn't clear whether his performances were an indicator or a cause for 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 sideline response proved to be decidedly more positive. When the England international swept in his second to restore his side's advantage, Emery tore off his winter coat, opened his arms and bellowed. The Birmingham club continued to ten wins in a row and despite not winning their initial half-dozen matches, are somehow just three points adrift of the leaders Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Genuine Hopefuls?
That’s a particularly tough query to answer. The historical record, a general sense of the club, suggests not. Moreover, they've rarely been entirely convincing in many games, even as the wins have stacked up.
As per Opta, in only two games have Villa registered an expected goals figure significantly higher than the opposition. For a side which has strung together ten consecutive victories, the Villans seem strangely fragile – but currently the fine lines are falling their way.
The Winning Formula
Their recent policy appears to be to trade blows with rivals before hoping their talisman to bail them out with two precise efforts. This was the case at Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and again when facing the Red Devils.
Rogers' first goal came from an exquisite effort, bent just inside the upright from the corner of the box. His brace-completing goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of the opener as he seized on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.
“Much like Robben with his left, Rogers’ right foot has become a known threat that remains brutally unstoppable, regardless of anticipation.”
Is It Sustainable?
Reason suggests otherwise. In the recent win, Manchester United had a greater number of attempts and more efforts on goal. They have triumphed in eight consecutive games by a single goal. The defence has been breached in all except one of those matches.
Regression to the mean might be the most significant challenge the club will encounter as the season progresses. Rogers, in all likelihood, will not continue to drilling the ball past despairing goalkeepers forever.
A Case for Belief
Maybe there exists a different scenario where, rather than luck running out, the level of play rises to match the results. Key players might still return to peak condition.
- Ollie Watkins may begin to adding to his goal tally.
- The attacking talent might become the performer he was during his peak.
- The injured centre-backs are set to regain fitness, strengthening a periodically leaky backline.
Perhaps there is in that the seeds of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on a single individual.
Relishing the Unlikely
However, nobody expected this. Few believed Villa would be third at Christmas. And without a doubt two months ago, few could imagine the midfielder by the end of the year would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit and appearing as an essential Three Lions star.
The current run must be cherished for the very reason that it seems so surreal. As the match-winner stood in front of the North End when the game ended leading the celebrations, he seemed to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. These spells are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.
