A mere two months prior that the Villa attacker stood on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered while Unai Emery scolded him for missing a pass in behind. At that point, as the club failed to win in six, the question was if 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.”
On Sunday, in contrast, the manager's outburst was decidedly more positive. As Rogers drilled in his brace-sealing goal to restore the lead for Villa, Emery tore off his winter coat, opened his arms and shouted in triumph. The team marched on to ten wins in a row , after failing to win any of their first six matches, find themselves just three points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Serious Hopefuls?
That’s a rather hard proposition to resolve. The historical record, the perceived status of this institution, argues against it. Additionally, they have not been wholly dominant this season, despite the fact the victories have accumulated.
Per Opta, on just two occasions has the side posted an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a side which has strung together ten consecutive victories, they look strangely fragile – yet right now the margins are going in their favour.
The Rogers Recipe
The current approach seems to be to engage in a shootout with rivals and then rely on their talisman to save the day with some precise efforts. This occurred at Leeds, it happened against West Ham, and once more when facing United.
The initial strike came from a brilliant finish, bent precisely inside the post from the edge of the area. The follow-up goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration of the opener as he seized 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.”
How Long Can This Continue?
Reason suggests otherwise. In the recent win, Manchester United had a greater number of attempts and more shots on target. They have triumphed in eight consecutive games by just one goal. They have allowed goals in nearly all of those fixtures.
A reversion to average might be the biggest rival Villa must confront as the season progresses. Rogers, almost certainly, will not continue to drilling his shots into the top corner week in, week out.
Reasons for Optimism
Perhaps there is another reality whereby, instead of luck running out, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Vital cogs might still return to peak condition.
- The centre-forward could start adding to his goal tally.
- The attacking talent could transform into the performer he showed during his peak.
- The defensive duo are due to come back from the treatment room, bolstering a sometimes shaky defence.
Maybe within that lies the possibility of a title challenge, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on a single individual.
Enjoying the Ride
Yet, nobody expected this. It seemed improbable Aston Villa would occupy in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely earlier this season, nobody thought Rogers now would be leading a title charge while looking like an essential Three Lions star.
The current run is to be savoured exactly since it feels so unlikely. When Rogers positioned himself before the home supporters after the match orchestrating the applause, it was clear to be thoroughly enjoying it. Which he fully merits. These spells do not happen often and ought to be celebrated.
