It was two months prior that the Villa attacker found himself on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered while his coach berated him over missing a pass in behind. Back then, with the team went six without a win, the question was whether his displays were a sign or the reason for the side'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, however, the manager's outburst was entirely decidedly more positive. After Rogers drilled in his brace-sealing goal to restore the lead for Villa, the boss tore off his coat, threw his arms wide and roared. The team were on their way to ten wins in a row , having failed to win their opening six matches, find themselves a mere three points adrift of pace-setters Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Legitimate Challengers?
It remains a rather hard proposition to answer. History, the traditional standing of this institution, suggests not. Furthermore, their performances haven't been completely commanding during this run, despite the fact the positive results have accumulated.
Per statistical analysis, in only two games have Villa registered an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a team that have just won 10 in a row, the Villans seem weirdly vulnerable – but right now the margins are swinging for them.
The Winning Formula
Their recent policy looks like to engage in a shootout with an opponent before hoping their star man to save the day with two clinical strikes. This was the case away to Leeds, it occurred in London, and it happened against the Red Devils.
The initial strike stemmed from a brilliant finish, arced just inside the post from a wide position. The follow-up goal proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of his first 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.”
How Long Can This Continue?
Logic says not. Against United, Manchester United had more efforts and more efforts on goal. The team has secured their last eight victories by a single goal. The defence has been breached in all except one of those fixtures.
A reversion to average might be the most significant challenge Villa have to face in the near future. Their key man, in all likelihood, cannot keep on thrashing the football into the top corner indefinitely.
A Case for Belief
Perhaps there is another reality where, rather than results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs could still find their top level.
- The main striker could start finding the net regularly.
- The attacking talent may rediscover the player he showed in Germany.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will eventually return from injury, fortifying an occasionally vulnerable defence.
Perhaps there is in that the possibility of a genuine bid, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on a single individual.
Relishing the Unlikely
Yet, nobody expected this. Nobody thought Aston Villa would occupy third at Christmas. And most definitely back in October, no one envisioned the midfielder now would be leading a title charge and appearing as a vital England player.
The current run is to be savoured precisely because it feels so unlikely. When Rogers stood in front of the North End at the final whistle conducting the cheers, he appeared to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. Such periods are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.
