A mere eight weeks ago when the young forward found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, seeming perplexed while the Villa manager berated him for not reading a pass in behind. Back then, as Villa endured a six-game winless run, the question was if Rogers' form were a symptom or the reason of the team's broader struggles.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
This weekend, in contrast, the sideline response proved to be far more favourable. As Rogers curled home his second to reinstate the lead for Villa, the Spanish tactician discarded his jacket, opened his arms and shouted in triumph. The team were on their way to a 10th successive win , having failed to win any of their first six matches, now sit only three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Legitimate Hopefuls?
That’s a rather hard question to resolve. Past precedent, the perceived status of Villa, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, they have not been entirely convincing during this run, while the victories have piled up.
According to Opta, twice all season has the side had an xG notably superior than the other team. For a club who have strung together a ten-match winning streak, the Villans appear strangely fragile – however currently the fine lines are falling their way.
The Rogers Recipe
The prevailing tactic looks like to exchange chances with the opposition before hoping their star man to rescue them with a couple of crisp finishes. This was the case away to Leeds, it happened against West Ham, and again when facing United.
His opener originated from an exquisite effort, arced precisely inside the upright from a wide position. His brace-completing goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of his first as he pounced 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?
Common sense dictates no. In the recent win, Manchester United had more efforts and more efforts on goal. The team has triumphed in eight consecutive games by a single goal. The defence has been breached in all but one of those games.
A statistical correction may well be the greatest opponent the club will encounter as the season progresses. Rogers, in all likelihood, will not continue to thrashing his shots past despairing goalkeepers forever.
A Case for Belief
Perhaps there is a different scenario whereby, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Vital cogs could still find their top level.
- Ollie Watkins may begin to adding to his goal tally.
- The winger could transform into the force he showed at Borussia Dortmund.
- The defensive duo are due to return from injury, bolstering a sometimes shaky defensive unit.
This could contain the potential of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on one man.
Relishing the Unlikely
However, nobody expected this. It seemed improbable the team would be third at Christmas. And without a doubt back in October, no one envisioned the midfielder by the end of the year would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title while looking like an essential England player.
This remarkable period is to be savoured exactly since it seems so surreal. When the match-winner positioned himself before the Villa faithful at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. These runs of form do not happen often and should be relished.
