Just two months in the past that the Villa attacker stood on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered as Unai Emery berated him for missing a pass in behind. At that point, as Villa failed to win in six, the question was if Rogers' form were a sign or the source for the team's more general malaise.
“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”
On Sunday, though, the sideline response was entirely far more favourable. When the England international swept in his second to reclaim his side's advantage, Emery tore off his coat, opened his arms and bellowed. Villa marched on to a tenth straight victory , after failing to win any of their first six fixtures, find themselves a mere three points adrift of pace-setters Arsenal.
Is This Team Genuine Hopefuls?
It remains a rather hard proposition to resolve. Past precedent, the traditional standing of the club, argues against it. Additionally, their performances haven't been wholly dominant this season, while the positive results have piled up.
According to statistical analysis, on just two occasions have Villa had an xG more than 0.5 greater than the other team. For a team which has put together 10 in a row, the Villans seem strangely fragile – 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 Rogers to save the day with a couple of crisp finishes. It happened away to Leeds, it happened in London, and once more against the Red Devils.
The initial strike stemmed from a brilliant finish, bent just inside the post from a wide position. For his second was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of the opener as he pounced 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.”
How Long Can This Continue?
Reason suggests otherwise. During the latest victory, Manchester United registered more shots and more efforts on goal. They have won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in nearly all of those matches.
A reversion to average might be the most significant challenge the club must confront in the near future. The forward, in all likelihood, will not continue to blasting the ball into the top corner indefinitely.
A Case for Belief
Maybe there exists a different scenario in which, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs could still rediscover their best form.
- The centre-forward may begin to scoring again.
- The attacking talent could transform into the force he was in Germany.
- The injured centre-backs will eventually come back from the treatment room, fortifying a periodically leaky backline.
This could contain the seeds of a title challenge, but they surely cannot keep relying on a single individual.
Relishing the Unlikely
However, this is a surprise. Few believed Aston Villa would sit in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely two months ago, no one envisioned Rogers by the end of the year would be spearheading a championship pursuit while looking like a vital Three Lions star.
The current run is to be savoured exactly since it seems so surreal. As Rogers faced the home supporters when the game ended orchestrating the applause, it was clear to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. These spells are uncommon in the sport and should be relished.
