It was 60 days prior that the young forward stood on the Sunderland turf, looking confused as Unai Emery berated him over failing to anticipate a pass in behind. During that period, as the club went six without a win, the question was if his performances were a symptom or a cause of the side's broader struggles.
“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”
This weekend, though, the touchline reaction was entirely decidedly more positive. After the England international drilled in his second strike to reclaim his side's advantage, the Spanish tactician discarded his jacket, opened his arms and shouted in triumph. Villa marched on to a tenth straight victory and having failed to win their initial half-dozen games, now sit only three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.
Are They Legitimate Hopefuls?
It remains a rather hard question to resolve. Past precedent, the perceived status of Villa, suggests not. Furthermore, their performances haven't been entirely convincing in many games, despite the fact the victories have accumulated.
As per Opta, in only two games has the side registered an expected goals figure significantly higher than the opposition. For a side that have put together a ten-match winning streak, the Villans seem curiously susceptible – yet at the moment the margins are swinging for them.
The Reliant Strategy
The current approach seems to be to exchange chances with rivals and then rely on their talisman to bail them out with some clinical strikes. It happened against Leeds, it occurred against West Ham, and again against the Red Devils.
The initial strike originated from an exquisite effort, bent precisely inside the upright from the edge of the area. 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?
Common sense dictates no. In the recent win, the opposition had more shots and more efforts on goal. Villa have triumphed in eight consecutive games by a single goal. They have allowed goals in all but one of those matches.
Regression to the mean may well be the biggest rival they will encounter in the near future. Rogers, almost certainly, will not continue to drilling his shots into the net's top corner week in, week out.
Potential for Growth
Maybe there exists a different scenario in which, instead of luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players might still rediscover their best form.
- Ollie Watkins may begin to finding the net regularly.
- The attacking talent could transform into the force he was in Germany.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are set to return from injury, fortifying an occasionally vulnerable defensive unit.
Maybe within that lies the potential of a title challenge, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on one man.
Enjoying the Ride
Yet, this is a surprise. It seemed improbable the team would occupy in a Champions League place in December. And certainly two months ago, no one envisioned Rogers now would be spearheading a championship pursuit and appearing as a crucial Three Lions star.
This remarkable period is to be savoured exactly since it appears so improbable. As the hero positioned himself before the Villa faithful when the game ended leading the celebrations, it was clear to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. These runs of form do not happen often and should be relished.
