A mere two months ago that the young forward found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered while the Villa manager berated him over failing to anticipate a penetrating pass. At that point, with the team went six without a win, the question was if his displays were a sign or the source for Villa's broader struggles.
“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”
In the latest match, though, the manager's outburst was much more joyous. When Rogers swept in his second to reclaim Villa's lead, the boss tore off his coat, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. The Birmingham club marched on to a tenth straight victory and having failed to win their opening six games, are somehow only three points off table-toppers Arsenal.
Are They Legitimate Title Contenders?
It remains a particularly tough question to resolve. History, the traditional standing of Villa, argues against it. Moreover, they have not been completely commanding this season, even as the victories have stacked up.
As per the data, twice all season has the side posted an xG more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a club who have strung together a ten-match winning streak, Villa appear curiously susceptible – yet at the moment the margins are falling their way.
The Winning Formula
The current approach looks like to exchange chances with an opponent and wait for their talisman to bail them out with a couple of crisp finishes. This was the case away to Leeds, it transpired at West Ham, and once more versus the Red Devils.
His opener originated from an exquisite effort, curled precisely inside the upright from the corner of the box. The follow-up goal proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of his first capitalizing on a pass from Watkins.
“Much like Robben with his left, Rogers’ right foot has become a known threat that remains brutally unstoppable, regardless of anticipation.”
Can It Last?
Common sense dictates no. Against United, Manchester United managed more shots and more shots on target. Villa have secured their last eight victories by a single goal. The defence has been breached in all but one of those games.
A reversion to average may well be the most significant challenge Villa have to face in the near future. Rogers, surely, cannot keep on drilling the ball into the net's top corner forever.
Reasons for Optimism
Maybe there exists a different scenario where, rather than luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures might still rediscover their best form.
- The main striker may begin to scoring again.
- The attacking talent may rediscover the player he was during his peak.
- The defensive duo are set to return from injury, strengthening an occasionally vulnerable defensive unit.
Maybe within that lies the seeds of a title challenge, yet it seems unlikely can persist in leaning entirely on a single individual.
Relishing the Unlikely
But then, nobody expected this. It seemed improbable Aston Villa would occupy in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely back in October, nobody thought Rogers now would be spearheading a championship pursuit and appearing as a vital England player.
This remarkable period is to be savoured exactly since it seems so surreal. When Rogers faced the home supporters after the match conducting the cheers, he appeared to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. Such periods do not happen often and should be relished.
