It was two months in the past when the young forward found himself on the Sunderland turf, seeming perplexed as the Villa manager admonished him over missing a pass in behind. Back then, as Villa failed to win in six, the question was if his performances were an indicator or a cause for Villa's more general malaise.
“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”
In the latest match, in contrast, the manager's outburst proved to be far more favourable. As the England international curled home his brace-sealing goal to reinstate Villa's lead, the boss tore off his winter coat, opened his arms and bellowed. The team continued to ten wins in a row , despite not winning any of their first six fixtures, find themselves a mere three points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal.
Is This Team Legitimate Title Contenders?
This is a rather hard proposition to answer. History, a general sense of this institution, argues against it. Furthermore, they have not been wholly dominant during this run, while the victories have piled up.
Per statistical analysis, twice all season has the side registered an expected goals figure significantly higher than their opponents. For a side which has strung together a ten-match winning streak, Villa look weirdly vulnerable – but at the moment the margins are going in their favour.
The Winning Formula
Their recent policy looks like to engage in a shootout with rivals and wait for their star man to rescue them with a couple of clinical strikes. This was the case at Leeds, it happened against West Ham, and it happened against United.
Rogers' first goal came from a brilliant finish, bent just inside the goal frame from a wide position. For his second was essentially a slight scruffier version 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. Against United, Manchester United had a greater number of attempts and more efforts on goal. The team has triumphed in eight consecutive games by a single goal. They have allowed goals in all except one of those fixtures.
Regression to the mean may well be the most significant challenge the club must confront in the near future. The forward, surely, will not continue to thrashing the football into the top corner indefinitely.
Potential for Growth
Perhaps there is a different scenario in which, rather than results trending towards performances, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Important figures could still find their top level.
- The centre-forward might resume finding the net regularly.
- The winger could transform into the player he resembled during his peak.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to come back from the treatment room, strengthening a periodically leaky backline.
Maybe within that lies the seeds of a title challenge, but they surely can continue to depend solely on a single individual.
Enjoying the Ride
Yet, this was unforeseen. It seemed improbable Aston Villa would sit third at Christmas. And without a doubt earlier this season, nobody thought the midfielder now would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit while establishing himself as a vital Three Lions star.
This remarkable period should be enjoyed for the very reason that it appears so improbable. When Rogers stood in front of the home supporters at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be loving the experience. A feeling he has rightly earned. Such periods are rare in football and must be appreciated.
