It was two months prior that the Villa attacker was standing on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered as Unai Emery berated him for not reading a through-ball. At that point, as Villa failed to win in six, it wasn't clear if Rogers' form were a sign or the reason for Villa'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 manager's outburst was decidedly more positive. After the in-form star drilled in his second strike to reinstate the lead for Villa, the Spanish tactician tore off his coat, spread his arms and roared. The team were on their way to ten wins in a row and despite not winning their initial half-dozen fixtures, find themselves only three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Legitimate Hopefuls?
It remains a particularly tough proposition to answer. The historical record, the traditional standing of this institution, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, their performances haven't been entirely convincing this season, while the wins have piled up.
Per Opta, twice all season has the side posted an expected goals figure significantly higher than the other team. For a side that have put together ten consecutive victories, they appear weirdly vulnerable – but at the moment the tight outcomes are going in their favour.
The Winning Formula
The prevailing tactic seems to be to exchange chances with an opponent and wait for Rogers to save the day with a couple of precise efforts. This was the case against Leeds, it happened at West Ham, and it happened versus Manchester United.
His opener originated from an exquisite effort, bent right inside the upright from the edge of the area. The follow-up goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration of the opener capitalizing 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, the opposition had more shots and more direct attempts. They have triumphed in eight consecutive games by a single goal. The defence has been breached in all except one of those fixtures.
A reversion to average could be the greatest opponent they will encounter over the coming weeks. Their key man, almost certainly, cannot keep on drilling the ball into the top corner indefinitely.
Potential for Growth
Maybe there exists another reality whereby, instead of luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players may yet rediscover their best form.
- The centre-forward may begin to scoring again.
- The winger could transform into the player he resembled during his peak.
- The injured centre-backs will eventually return from injury, strengthening an occasionally vulnerable defence.
Maybe within that lies the possibility of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely cannot keep relying on one man.
Enjoying the Ride
However, this was unforeseen. Few believed the team would occupy in a Champions League place in December. And without a doubt earlier this season, no one envisioned the midfielder as the year closed would be at the forefront of a title charge and appearing as a crucial Three Lions star.
This remarkable period is to be savoured precisely because it seems so surreal. When the hero stood in front of the Villa faithful at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, it was clear to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. Such periods are rare in football and must be appreciated.
