It was eight weeks in the past that the young forward found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered as Unai Emery scolded him over missing a through-ball. At that point, with the team endured a six-game winless run, the question was if his performances were a sign or a cause for the side's more general malaise.
“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”
This weekend, in contrast, the manager's outburst proved to be far more favourable. When Rogers drilled in his second to reclaim his side's advantage, the Spanish tactician tore off his jacket, threw his arms wide and bellowed. Villa were on their way to a tenth straight victory , after failing to win any of their first six matches, find themselves just three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.
Is This Team Legitimate Title Contenders?
It remains an exceptionally difficult question to address. History, the traditional standing of the club, argues against it. Furthermore, they've rarely been completely commanding this season, even as the victories have piled up.
As per Opta, on just two occasions have Villa posted an expected goals figure significantly higher than the opposition. For a club that have put together a ten-match winning streak, they seem curiously susceptible – but right now the tight outcomes are swinging for them.
The Reliant Strategy
Their recent policy seems to be to trade blows with the opposition and wait for their talisman to rescue them with two precise efforts. This occurred against Leeds, it happened against West Ham, and once more against Manchester United.
Rogers' first goal stemmed from an exquisite effort, curled just inside the upright from a wide position. His brace-completing goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration of his first capitalizing on a setup by his strike partner.
“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. Against United, Manchester United had a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. The team has triumphed in eight consecutive games by a single goal. They have allowed goals in all but one of those matches.
A statistical correction could be the greatest opponent the club will encounter over the coming weeks. Rogers, surely, will not continue to blasting the ball into the top corner week in, week out.
Reasons for Optimism
Maybe there exists a different scenario whereby, instead of luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players could still rediscover their best form.
- Ollie Watkins might resume scoring again.
- The attacking talent might become the player he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are set to regain fitness, bolstering a sometimes shaky backline.
This could contain the seeds of a genuine bid, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on a single individual.
Relishing the Unlikely
But then, this is a surprise. Nobody thought Aston Villa would sit in a Champions League place in December. And without a doubt earlier this season, few could imagine Rogers as the year closed would be spearheading a title charge while looking like a crucial Three Lions star.
This winning streak must be cherished for the very reason that it appears so improbable. As the hero faced the Villa faithful at the final whistle conducting the cheers, it was clear to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. Such periods are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.
