It was 60 days prior when the young forward stood on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered while the Villa manager berated him for missing a pass in behind. Back then, as Villa endured a six-game winless run, doubts remained if his displays were a symptom or the source for 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, in contrast, the sideline response was decidedly more positive. When the in-form star swept in his brace-sealing goal to reclaim his side's advantage, the Spanish tactician ripped off his jacket, opened his arms and bellowed. Villa continued to ten wins in a row , having failed to win any of their first six games, now sit a mere three points adrift of the leaders Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Genuine Challengers?
This is an exceptionally difficult query to address. Past precedent, the traditional standing of Villa, suggests not. Moreover, their performances haven't been wholly dominant during this run, despite the fact the wins have accumulated.
According to Opta, twice all season has the side posted an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than the other team. For a club that have strung together ten consecutive victories, Villa look strangely fragile – but currently the margins are swinging for them.
The Reliant Strategy
Their recent policy looks like to exchange chances with rivals and then rely on their star man to save the day with some clinical strikes. This was the case at Leeds, it happened at West Ham, and once more against United.
Rogers' first goal originated from an exquisite effort, curled just inside the goal frame from the corner of the box. The follow-up goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration of the opener 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.”
Can It Last?
Logic says not. Against United, the opponents had more efforts and more direct attempts. Villa have secured their last eight victories by just one goal. They’ve conceded in all but one of those fixtures.
A reversion to average could be the most significant challenge Villa will encounter over the coming weeks. The forward, in all likelihood, cannot keep on blasting the football into the top corner indefinitely.
Potential for Growth
Could it be an alternative path in which, rather than luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players might still rediscover their best form.
- The main striker could start finding the net regularly.
- Jadon Sancho may rediscover the player he showed at Borussia Dortmund.
- The injured centre-backs are due to return from injury, bolstering an occasionally vulnerable defence.
This could contain the seeds of a genuine bid, however, it is improbable cannot keep relying on one man.
Relishing the Unlikely
However, this was unforeseen. Nobody thought Villa would sit in a Champions League place in December. And certainly back in October, nobody thought Rogers now would be spearheading a championship pursuit and appearing as a crucial player for the national team.
This winning streak is to be savoured precisely because it seems so surreal. As the match-winner positioned himself before the Villa faithful when the game ended leading the celebrations, he appeared to be loving the experience. A feeling he has rightly earned. Such periods are rare in football and should be relished.
