It was eight weeks prior when the young forward was standing on the Sunderland turf, seeming perplexed as Unai Emery scolded him over not reading a pass in behind. At that point, with the team failed to win in six, doubts remained if his performances were a sign or the reason for Villa's more general malaise.
“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”
On Sunday, in contrast, the touchline reaction was entirely decidedly more positive. After the England international curled home his brace-sealing goal to reinstate the lead for Villa, Emery discarded his winter coat, spread his arms and shouted in triumph. Villa were on their way to a 10th successive win and despite not winning any of their first six matches, find themselves only three points off the leaders Arsenal.
Are They Legitimate Challengers?
That’s a rather hard question to address. The historical record, the traditional standing of the club, indicates otherwise. Additionally, they have not been wholly dominant in many games, while the wins have piled up.
According to Opta, in only two games has the side registered an expected goals figure notably superior than the opposition. For a side who have strung together a ten-match winning streak, they seem strangely fragile – however currently the margins are falling their way.
The Rogers Recipe
Their recent policy appears to be to trade blows with rivals and then rely on their star man to save the day with a couple of crisp finishes. It happened against Leeds, it occurred in London, and it happened against United.
The initial strike came from an exquisite effort, arced precisely inside the goal frame from a wide position. The follow-up goal proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one 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.”
Can It Last?
Common sense dictates no. In the recent win, the opposition had more efforts and more efforts on goal. They have secured their last eight victories by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in all but one of those matches.
A statistical correction could be the greatest opponent the club will encounter as the season progresses. Rogers, in all likelihood, cannot maintain thrashing his shots into the net's top corner week in, week out.
A Case for Belief
Could it be a different scenario in which, instead of luck running out, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Key players may yet find their top level.
- The centre-forward could start scoring again.
- The attacking talent might become the player he resembled during his peak.
- The defensive duo are due to regain fitness, bolstering a sometimes shaky backline.
Maybe within that lies the potential of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely can persist in leaning entirely on one man.
Enjoying the Ride
Yet, nobody expected this. Nobody thought Aston Villa would occupy in the top three for the holidays. And without a doubt two months ago, nobody thought the young forward now would be leading a hunt for the title while looking like a crucial England player.
The current run is to be savoured for the very reason that it seems so surreal. As the hero faced the North End at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. These runs of form do not happen often and must be appreciated.
