Just eight weeks ago when the young forward found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered while Unai Emery berated him for failing to anticipate a penetrating pass. During that period, as Villa went six without a win, doubts remained whether his performances were an indicator or a cause for the side's wider issues.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
This weekend, though, the touchline reaction was decidedly more positive. As the in-form star curled home his second to reclaim Villa's lead, the Spanish tactician discarded his winter coat, opened his arms and roared. Villa continued to a 10th successive win , after failing to win any of their first six matches, are somehow a mere three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.
Is This Team Genuine Title Contenders?
This is a particularly tough question to resolve. Past precedent, the perceived status of the club, argues against it. Moreover, they've rarely been wholly dominant during this run, even as the wins have accumulated.
Per the data, in only two games have Villa posted an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than the other team. For a side that have strung together ten consecutive victories, the Villans look weirdly vulnerable – yet currently the fine lines are falling their way.
The Winning Formula
Their recent policy seems to be to exchange chances with rivals and wait for Rogers to rescue them with some clinical strikes. This was the case at Leeds, it occurred against West Ham, and once more against Manchester United.
His opener stemmed from a brilliant finish, arced precisely inside the goal frame from a wide position. His brace-completing goal proved to be a somewhat messier replica of goal number one as he seized on a setup by his strike partner.
“Much like Robben with his left, Rogers’ right foot has become a known threat that remains brutally unstoppable, regardless of anticipation.”
Is It Sustainable?
Reason suggests otherwise. During the latest victory, the opponents had a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. Villa have secured their last eight victories by a single goal. The defence has been breached in all but one of those matches.
A statistical correction could be the greatest opponent they will encounter over the coming weeks. Their key man, in all likelihood, cannot keep on drilling the football into the net's top corner week in, week out.
Reasons for Optimism
Maybe there exists a different scenario in which, instead of luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players could still find their top level.
- Ollie Watkins may begin to adding to his goal tally.
- Jadon Sancho may rediscover the player he was at Borussia Dortmund.
- The defensive duo will eventually return from injury, strengthening an occasionally vulnerable backline.
Perhaps there is in that the seeds of a genuine bid, however, it is improbable cannot keep relying on one man.
Enjoying the Ride
But then, nobody expected this. Few believed Aston Villa would sit third at Christmas. And most definitely two months ago, few could imagine Rogers as the year closed would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title while looking like a crucial England player.
This winning streak must be cherished precisely because it seems so surreal. As the hero faced the Villa faithful when the game ended orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. These spells do not happen often and ought to be celebrated.
