It was eight weeks prior that the Villa attacker found himself on the pitch at Sunderland, seeming perplexed while his coach admonished him over missing a penetrating pass. During that period, as Villa failed to win in six, the question was if his performances were a sign or the reason of the side's more general malaise.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
On Sunday, though, the touchline reaction was far more favourable. When the in-form star drilled in his brace-sealing goal to reclaim the lead for Villa, the boss discarded his jacket, spread his arms and bellowed. The Birmingham club continued to a 10th successive win and having failed to win their initial half-dozen games, are somehow just three points adrift of the leaders Arsenal.
Are They Serious Challengers?
That’s a rather hard proposition to resolve. Past precedent, the traditional standing of the club, indicates otherwise. Moreover, they've rarely been wholly dominant this season, even as the positive results have stacked up.
According to statistical analysis, in only two games have Villa registered an expected goals figure significantly higher than their opponents. For a side that have put together a ten-match winning streak, they look weirdly vulnerable – however currently the margins are falling their way.
The Winning Formula
The current approach looks like to exchange chances with rivals and then rely on their star man to save the day with two precise efforts. This occurred at Leeds, it happened at West Ham, and again when facing the Red Devils.
Rogers' first goal originated from a brilliant finish, arced precisely inside the post from a wide position. For his second was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of the opener as he pounced on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.
“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.”
How Long Can This Continue?
Logic says not. During the latest victory, the opposition had more shots and more shots on target. They have secured their last eight victories by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in nearly all of those games.
A reversion to average might be the greatest opponent the club will encounter over the coming weeks. Their key man, surely, cannot keep on drilling his shots into the top corner week in, week out.
A Case for Belief
Maybe there exists a different scenario where, instead of results trending towards performances, the level of play rises to match the results. Vital cogs might still return to peak condition.
- The main striker could start finding the net regularly.
- The winger might become the performer he resembled in Germany.
- The injured centre-backs will eventually return from injury, bolstering an occasionally vulnerable defence.
Maybe within that lies the seeds for a sustained push, but they surely can continue to depend solely on a single individual.
Relishing the Unlikely
However, this was unforeseen. Few believed Aston Villa would sit in a Champions League place in December. And certainly two months ago, nobody thought the young forward by the end of the year would be spearheading a title charge and appearing as a vital Three Lions star.
This remarkable period should be enjoyed for the very reason that it appears so improbable. As the match-winner positioned himself before the North End at the final whistle leading the celebrations, it was clear to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. Such periods are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.
