A mere two months ago that the Villa attacker was standing on the pitch at Sunderland, seeming perplexed as Unai Emery berated him over not reading a pass in behind. Back then, as Villa endured a six-game winless run, doubts remained if his performances were a sign or the source of Villa's more general malaise.
“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”
This weekend, however, the sideline response proved to be far more favourable. After Rogers curled home his brace-sealing goal to restore his side's advantage, Emery discarded his jacket, opened his arms and bellowed. The team marched on to a tenth straight victory and despite not winning their opening six fixtures, now sit only three points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Legitimate Challengers?
This is a particularly tough proposition to address. History, a general sense of the club, suggests not. Additionally, they have not been entirely convincing in many games, while the wins have accumulated.
As per the data, on just two occasions has the team had an xG more than 0.5 greater than the other team. For a club that have strung together a ten-match winning streak, Villa look weirdly vulnerable – yet right now the fine lines are going in their favour.
The Rogers Recipe
The current approach looks like to engage in a shootout with the opposition before hoping Rogers to bail them out with a couple of crisp finishes. It happened at Leeds, it occurred against West Ham, and it happened when facing the Red Devils.
His opener stemmed from a brilliant finish, curled just inside the post from the corner of the box. For his second proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of his first as he seized on a pass from Watkins.
“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.”
Is It Sustainable?
Reason suggests otherwise. In the recent win, Manchester United had a greater number of attempts and more shots on target. Villa have triumphed in eight consecutive games by a single goal. They’ve conceded in all except one of those fixtures.
A statistical correction could be the most significant challenge the club will encounter over the coming weeks. Rogers, in all likelihood, cannot keep on drilling the football into the top corner forever.
Potential for Growth
Could it be another reality in which, rather than results trending towards performances, the level of play rises to match the results. Key players might still find their top level.
- The centre-forward could start finding the net regularly.
- Jadon Sancho may rediscover the force he resembled in Germany.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are set to come back from the treatment room, fortifying a sometimes shaky defence.
Perhaps there is in that the possibility of a genuine bid, however, it is improbable cannot keep relying on one man.
Relishing the Unlikely
However, this is a surprise. Few believed the team would be in a Champions League place in December. And without a doubt earlier this season, few could imagine the young forward now would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit while looking like a crucial Three Lions star.
This remarkable period must be cherished exactly since it feels so unlikely. As Rogers faced the North End after the match orchestrating the applause, he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it. Which he fully merits. Such periods are uncommon in the sport and ought to be celebrated.
