A mere 60 days in the past when the young forward was standing on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered while the Villa manager admonished him for not reading a pass in behind. At that point, with the team endured a six-game winless run, doubts remained if his performances were a symptom or a cause of Villa's more general malaise.
“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”
In the latest match, in contrast, the touchline reaction proved to be much more joyous. When Rogers drilled in his brace-sealing goal to reclaim Villa's lead, the boss ripped off his winter coat, opened his arms and shouted in triumph. Villa were on their way to ten wins in a row , having failed to win their initial half-dozen matches, are somehow a mere three points off table-toppers Arsenal.
Are They Serious Title Contenders?
That’s an exceptionally difficult question to answer. History, the perceived status of Villa, suggests not. Additionally, their performances haven't been wholly dominant during this run, while the positive results have stacked up.
Per the data, on just two occasions have Villa had an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a club that have strung together a ten-match winning streak, they appear strangely fragile – yet at the moment the fine lines are going in their favour.
The Rogers Recipe
The prevailing tactic seems to be to exchange chances with the opposition and then rely on Rogers to rescue them with some precise efforts. This was the case at Leeds, it transpired at West Ham, and once more when facing the Red Devils.
His opener stemmed from a brilliant finish, curled right inside the upright from a wide position. For his second acted as a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one as he pounced on a pass from Watkins.
“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 managed a greater number of attempts and more shots on target. They have triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. They have allowed goals in all except one of those games.
Regression to the mean might be the biggest rival Villa have to face as the season progresses. The forward, in all likelihood, cannot keep on drilling his shots into the net's top corner forever.
Reasons for Optimism
Could it be an alternative path in which, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, the level of play rises to match the results. Vital cogs may yet rediscover their best form.
- The centre-forward could start finding the net regularly.
- Jadon Sancho could transform into the player he was at Borussia Dortmund.
- The injured centre-backs are set to come back from the treatment room, bolstering a sometimes shaky defence.
Maybe within that lies the possibility of a genuine bid, but they surely can continue to depend solely on a single individual.
Enjoying the Ride
Yet, this was unforeseen. It seemed improbable Villa would occupy in the top three for the holidays. And certainly earlier this season, few could imagine the young forward now would be spearheading a championship pursuit while looking like an essential England player.
This winning streak must be cherished exactly since it appears so improbable. As Rogers faced the home supporters after the match orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. These runs of form do not happen often and should be relished.
