A mere two months prior that the young forward stood on the pitch at Sunderland, seeming perplexed while his coach scolded him for not reading a through-ball. At that point, as the club went six without a win, it wasn't clear whether his displays 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.”
On Sunday, however, the sideline response was much more joyous. When the England international curled home his brace-sealing goal to reinstate the lead for Villa, the Spanish tactician discarded his winter coat, threw his arms wide and bellowed. The Birmingham club marched on to a 10th successive win and after failing to win their initial half-dozen matches, now sit a mere three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Genuine Title Contenders?
This is a particularly tough query to address. The historical record, the traditional standing of the club, indicates otherwise. Moreover, their performances haven't been wholly dominant this season, despite the fact the wins have accumulated.
As per statistical analysis, on just two occasions have Villa posted an xG notably superior than their opponents. For a club which has strung together ten consecutive victories, Villa seem curiously susceptible – but at the moment the tight outcomes are falling their way.
The Rogers Recipe
Their recent policy appears to be to trade blows with rivals before hoping their talisman to save the day with a couple of precise efforts. This occurred at Leeds, it happened against West Ham, and once more when facing the Red Devils.
Rogers' first goal stemmed from a superb shot, curled just inside the upright from a wide position. For his second was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of the opener capitalizing on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.
“Much like Robben with his left, Rogers’ right foot has become a known threat that remains brutally unstoppable, regardless of anticipation.”
Can It Last?
Reason suggests otherwise. In the recent win, the opponents managed a greater number of attempts and more efforts on goal. The team has secured their last eight victories by just one goal. They have allowed goals in all except one of those games.
A reversion to average might be the most significant challenge they will encounter over the coming weeks. Their key man, surely, cannot maintain blasting the football past despairing goalkeepers week in, week out.
A Case for Belief
Maybe there exists another reality whereby, rather than results trending towards performances, the level of play rises to match the results. Important figures might still return to peak condition.
- Ollie Watkins could start finding the net regularly.
- The attacking talent may rediscover the force he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres 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 can continue to depend solely on a single individual.
Relishing the Unlikely
Yet, this is a surprise. Nobody thought Villa would be in the top three for the holidays. And certainly two months ago, few could imagine the midfielder now would be leading a title charge and appearing as a crucial England player.
The current run is to be savoured exactly since it appears so improbable. As Rogers stood in front of the home supporters when the game ended orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. Such periods are uncommon in the sport and should be relished.
