It was two months prior that the Villa attacker stood on the Sunderland turf, looking confused as the Villa manager berated him over not reading a pass in behind. At that point, with the team endured a six-game winless run, the question was if Rogers' form were a sign or a cause of the team's broader struggles.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
On Sunday, though, the touchline reaction proved to be far more favourable. After Rogers drilled in his brace-sealing goal to restore the lead for Villa, the boss tore off his jacket, opened his arms and roared. The team continued to a tenth straight victory , having failed to win their opening six matches, are somehow only three points behind the leaders Arsenal.
Are They Legitimate Hopefuls?
That’s an exceptionally difficult question to address. The historical record, the perceived status of this institution, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, they have not been entirely convincing in many games, despite the fact the positive results have piled up.
According to statistical analysis, on just two occasions have Villa registered an xG notably superior than their opponents. For a side which has strung together ten consecutive victories, the Villans seem weirdly vulnerable – however at the moment the fine lines are swinging for them.
The Winning Formula
The current approach appears to be to trade blows with an opponent before hoping Rogers to save the day with some clinical strikes. This was the case against Leeds, it happened in London, and once more when facing United.
Rogers' first goal stemmed from an exquisite effort, curled just inside the upright from the corner of the box. His brace-completing goal proved to be 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.”
How Long Can This Continue?
Reason suggests otherwise. Against United, the opposition registered more shots and more direct attempts. They have secured their last eight victories by a single goal. The defence has been breached in all except one of those games.
A reversion to average might be the biggest rival the club have to face over the coming weeks. Their key man, surely, cannot keep on drilling his shots into the top corner indefinitely.
A Case for Belief
Perhaps there is an alternative path where, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players could still find their top level.
- Ollie Watkins may begin to scoring again.
- The winger might become the performer he showed in Germany.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to return from injury, fortifying an occasionally vulnerable backline.
This could contain the potential for a sustained push, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on one man.
Relishing the Unlikely
But then, nobody expected this. It seemed improbable Aston Villa would sit in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely earlier this season, no one envisioned Rogers now would be leading a championship pursuit and appearing as a crucial player for the national team.
The current run should be enjoyed exactly since it feels so unlikely. As Rogers stood in front of the home supporters after the match leading the celebrations, he seemed to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. Such periods do not happen often and should be relished.
