A mere eight weeks in the past that the Villa attacker found himself on the Sunderland turf, seeming perplexed while Unai Emery admonished him over missing a through-ball. At that point, as the club failed to win in six, the question was whether his performances were an indicator or the source of the team's wider issues.
“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”
This weekend, in contrast, the sideline response proved to be far more favourable. As the England international swept in his second to reclaim the lead for Villa, Emery discarded his winter coat, opened his arms and bellowed. The Birmingham club marched on to a tenth straight victory and having failed to win their opening six matches, are somehow just three points off table-toppers Arsenal.
Are They Serious Title Contenders?
That’s a rather hard question to resolve. Past precedent, a general sense of this institution, argues against it. Moreover, they've rarely been wholly dominant in many games, while the victories have accumulated.
Per Opta, on just two occasions have Villa had an xG significantly higher than the other team. For a club which has just won a ten-match winning streak, they look curiously susceptible – yet at the moment the tight outcomes are going in their favour.
The Winning Formula
The current approach seems to be to engage in a shootout with rivals before hoping Rogers to bail them out with two precise efforts. It happened at Leeds, it happened against West Ham, and once more versus United.
The initial strike came from an exquisite effort, bent precisely inside the upright from the edge of the area. The follow-up goal acted as a somewhat messier replica 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.”
Is It Sustainable?
Common sense dictates no. During the latest victory, the opposition managed more efforts and more direct attempts. Villa have won each of their last eight by just one goal. The defence has been breached in all except one of those matches.
A reversion to average might be the biggest rival they will encounter over the coming weeks. Rogers, surely, cannot keep on blasting the ball into the top corner indefinitely.
A Case for Belief
Could it be another reality in which, rather than results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players could still rediscover their best form.
- Ollie Watkins may begin to finding the net regularly.
- The winger may rediscover the force he showed in Germany.
- The defensive duo will eventually return from injury, bolstering an occasionally vulnerable defensive unit.
Maybe within that lies the potential for a sustained push, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on a single individual.
Relishing the Unlikely
However, this was unforeseen. Few believed the team would be in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely back in October, few could imagine Rogers as the year closed would be spearheading a championship pursuit while establishing himself as a vital England player.
The current run must be cherished exactly since it seems so surreal. As Rogers faced the North End when the game ended leading the celebrations, he appeared to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. These spells are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.
