Just two months in the past that the young forward stood on the Sunderland turf, seeming perplexed while Unai Emery admonished him over not reading a pass in behind. Back then, as Villa failed to win in six, doubts remained whether Rogers' form were a symptom or a cause for Villa's broader struggles.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
In the latest match, though, the manager's outburst proved to be much more joyous. As the in-form star drilled in his second strike to restore the lead for Villa, the Spanish tactician discarded his winter coat, spread his arms and shouted in triumph. The team marched on to a 10th successive win , after failing to win their opening six fixtures, now sit a mere three points adrift of the leaders Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Serious Title Contenders?
This is a rather hard question to address. The historical record, a general sense of Villa, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, they have not been entirely convincing during this run, even as the positive results have piled up.
Per statistical analysis, on just two occasions have Villa had an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than the other team. For a club that have put together 10 in a row, they seem strangely fragile – yet right now the tight outcomes are going in their favour.
The Winning Formula
The current approach looks like to trade blows with an opponent before hoping their star man to save the day with a couple of clinical strikes. This occurred against Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and once more when facing Manchester United.
The initial strike originated from a brilliant finish, bent right inside the post from the corner of the box. His brace-completing goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one capitalizing on a setup by his strike partner.
“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. During the latest victory, the opponents managed more shots and more efforts on goal. Villa have won each of their last eight by a single goal. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those games.
A reversion to average might be the biggest rival the club will encounter as the season progresses. Rogers, surely, cannot maintain drilling his shots into the net's top corner forever.
Reasons for Optimism
Maybe there exists an alternative path where, rather than results trending towards performances, the level of play rises to match the results. Vital cogs could still find their top level.
- The main striker might resume adding to his goal tally.
- The winger could transform into the player he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
- The injured centre-backs will eventually come back from the treatment room, strengthening a sometimes shaky defence.
This could contain the seeds of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on a single individual.
Enjoying the Ride
Yet, nobody expected this. It seemed improbable Aston Villa would be in the top three for the holidays. And certainly two months ago, nobody thought the young forward now would be at the forefront of a title charge while establishing himself as a vital Three Lions star.
This remarkable period must be cherished precisely because it seems so surreal. As the hero stood in front of the home supporters at the final whistle conducting the cheers, it was clear to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. Such periods are uncommon in the sport and should be relished.