A mere 60 days in the past that the Villa attacker found himself on the Sunderland turf, seeming perplexed as his coach scolded him for missing a penetrating pass. During that period, with the team endured a six-game winless run, the question was whether Rogers' form were a symptom or the reason for the side's broader struggles.
“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”
On Sunday, in contrast, the manager's outburst proved to be far more favourable. As the in-form star drilled in his brace-sealing goal to restore his side's advantage, the boss tore off his winter coat, opened his arms and shouted in triumph. The team continued to a 10th successive win , having failed to win any of their first six games, now sit just three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.
Is This Team Legitimate Hopefuls?
It remains a particularly tough query to answer. Past precedent, the traditional standing of Villa, argues against it. Moreover, their performances haven't been completely commanding this season, despite the fact the positive results have stacked up.
As per Opta, in only two games has the side registered an xG more than 0.5 greater than the other team. For a club that have strung together ten consecutive victories, the Villans look weirdly vulnerable – but currently the margins are swinging for them.
The Reliant Strategy
The prevailing tactic seems to be to engage in a shootout with rivals before hoping their talisman to rescue them with two precise efforts. This occurred away to Leeds, it occurred in London, and it happened versus the Red Devils.
The initial strike stemmed from a brilliant finish, bent just inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one capitalizing 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.”
Can It Last?
Logic says not. In the recent win, the opponents had more shots and more direct attempts. Villa have won each of their last eight by a single goal. The defence has been breached in all except one of those games.
Regression to the mean may well be the greatest opponent Villa have to face in the near future. The forward, surely, will not continue to blasting the ball into the net's top corner indefinitely.
Potential for Growth
Maybe there exists another reality whereby, instead of luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures might still rediscover their best form.
- The centre-forward may begin to scoring again.
- Jadon Sancho may rediscover the force he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
- The injured centre-backs are set to regain fitness, bolstering a sometimes shaky defence.
This could contain the seeds of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely can persist in leaning entirely on one man.
Relishing the Unlikely
However, this was unforeseen. Few believed Villa would sit in a Champions League place in December. And certainly back in October, nobody thought the midfielder now would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit while establishing himself as a crucial England player.
The current run should be enjoyed precisely because it seems so surreal. When Rogers stood in front of the home supporters at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. These runs of form do not happen often and must be appreciated.
