A mere eight weeks in the past that the young forward stood on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered while the Villa manager admonished him for not reading a through-ball. During that period, as the club endured a six-game winless run, doubts remained if Rogers' form were an indicator or the source of the side's more general malaise.
“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”
This weekend, in contrast, the manager's outburst was entirely much more joyous. When the in-form star swept in his brace-sealing goal to restore Villa's lead, 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 opening six matches, are somehow only three points off the leaders Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Genuine Hopefuls?
This is an exceptionally difficult question to resolve. The historical record, the traditional standing of this institution, suggests not. Moreover, their performances haven't been entirely convincing in many games, even as the wins have piled up.
Per statistical analysis, in only two games have Villa posted an xG notably superior than the opposition. For a team who have just won ten consecutive victories, the Villans seem weirdly vulnerable – but right now the fine lines are falling their way.
The Winning Formula
The prevailing tactic seems to be to trade blows with rivals and then rely on their star man to bail them out with two clinical strikes. This was the case against Leeds, it transpired at West Ham, and it happened versus Manchester United.
Rogers' first goal came from a superb shot, arced precisely inside the upright from the corner of the box. For his second acted as a slightly less clean iteration of his first 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.”
Is It Sustainable?
Reason suggests otherwise. In the recent win, the opposition had more shots and more direct attempts. Villa have triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in all but one of those matches.
A statistical correction might be the most significant challenge Villa have to face as the season progresses. The forward, in all likelihood, cannot maintain blasting his shots into the net's top corner forever.
Potential for Growth
Perhaps there is a different scenario whereby, instead of results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs may yet find their top level.
- The main striker might resume adding to his goal tally.
- The attacking talent might become the player he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
- The defensive duo are due to return from injury, strengthening an occasionally vulnerable defensive unit.
Perhaps there is in that the potential for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely can persist in leaning entirely on a single individual.
Enjoying the Ride
However, this is a surprise. Few believed the team would sit third at Christmas. And without a doubt two months ago, no one envisioned Rogers by the end of the year would be spearheading a championship pursuit while establishing himself as an essential England player.
This remarkable period should be enjoyed precisely because it seems so surreal. As the hero positioned himself before the North End at the final whistle leading the celebrations, he appeared to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. These runs of form are rare in football and should be relished.
