Just two months prior that the young forward was standing on the Sunderland turf, looking confused as the Villa manager admonished him over failing to anticipate a through-ball. At that point, as Villa failed to win in six, the question was whether Rogers' form were a symptom or the reason of the team's more general malaise.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
On Sunday, however, the sideline response proved to be far more favourable. As the in-form star curled home his second to reclaim Villa's lead, the Spanish tactician discarded his winter coat, opened his arms and roared. Villa marched on to a tenth straight victory , after failing to win any of their first six matches, are somehow a mere three points behind the leaders Arsenal.
Are They Legitimate Challengers?
That’s a rather hard question to address. Past precedent, the perceived status of the club, argues against it. Moreover, they have not been entirely convincing this season, even as the wins have piled up.
As per Opta, on just two occasions has the side posted an expected goals figure notably superior than the opposition. For a club who have put together 10 in a row, the Villans look curiously susceptible – however currently the tight outcomes are swinging for them.
The Rogers Recipe
The current approach seems to be to exchange chances with an opponent and wait for Rogers to rescue them with some crisp finishes. This was the case away to Leeds, it happened against West Ham, and once more versus Manchester United.
His opener stemmed from a superb shot, curled precisely inside the post from a wide position. The follow-up goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one capitalizing on a pass from Watkins.
“Rogers’ right foot is now akin to Robben’s legendary left: forewarned does not mean forearmed, and stopping him is another matter entirely.”
Is It Sustainable?
Common sense dictates no. In the recent win, the opposition managed more efforts and more direct attempts. The team has secured their last eight victories by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in all but one of those matches.
A reversion to average could be the biggest rival they must confront in the near future. The forward, surely, cannot maintain blasting his shots into the top corner forever.
A Case for Belief
Maybe there exists a different scenario where, rather than luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures could still return to peak condition.
- Ollie Watkins might resume adding to his goal tally.
- The attacking talent may rediscover the force he was during his peak.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to come back from the treatment room, strengthening a periodically leaky backline.
Maybe within that lies the possibility of a title challenge, yet it seems unlikely can persist in leaning entirely on a single individual.
Relishing the Unlikely
But then, this is a surprise. Few believed Aston Villa would be third at Christmas. And most definitely earlier this season, no one envisioned Rogers as the year closed would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit while establishing himself as a crucial England player.
This winning streak must be cherished precisely because it seems so surreal. When the match-winner stood in front of the Villa faithful when the game ended orchestrating the applause, he seemed to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. These runs of form are uncommon in the sport and ought to be celebrated.
