A mere eight weeks prior when the young forward was standing on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered while the Villa manager scolded him for missing a pass in behind. At that point, with the team went six without a win, doubts remained if Rogers' form were an indicator or the reason for the team'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 entirely far more favourable. After the England international drilled in his second to reclaim his side's advantage, the boss tore off his jacket, opened his arms and roared. The Birmingham club were on their way to ten wins in a row and after failing to win any of their first six fixtures, are somehow just three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Legitimate Challengers?
It remains an exceptionally difficult question to answer. The historical record, the perceived status of Villa, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, they have not been completely commanding in many games, while the wins have piled up.
According to Opta, twice all season has the team had an xG significantly higher than their opponents. For a team which has put together 10 in a row, Villa appear weirdly vulnerable – yet at the moment the margins are going in their favour.
The Winning Formula
The prevailing tactic appears to be to trade blows with an opponent before hoping their talisman to rescue them with a couple of precise efforts. This occurred at Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and again versus Manchester United.
Rogers' first goal originated from an exquisite effort, bent right inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. For his second proved to be a somewhat messier replica of his first capitalizing on a setup by his strike partner.
“Rogers’ right foot is now akin to Robben’s legendary left: forewarned does not mean forearmed, and stopping him is another matter entirely.”
Can It Last?
Logic says not. In the recent win, the opponents registered more efforts and more efforts on goal. They have triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in all but one of those matches.
A statistical correction may well be the greatest opponent the club will encounter as the season progresses. Rogers, surely, cannot maintain drilling the ball into the top corner indefinitely.
Potential for Growth
Maybe there exists another reality in which, rather than luck running out, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Vital cogs may yet find their top level.
- The centre-forward could start finding the net regularly.
- The winger might become the force he was at Borussia Dortmund.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are set to return from injury, fortifying an occasionally vulnerable defensive unit.
Maybe within that lies the seeds for a sustained push, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on a single individual.
Savoring the Moment
However, this is a surprise. Nobody thought the team would sit in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely earlier this season, few could imagine Rogers now would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title while establishing himself as an essential England player.
This remarkable period must be cherished precisely because it feels so unlikely. As the match-winner positioned himself before the home supporters when the game ended conducting the cheers, he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it. Which he fully merits. These spells do not happen often and should be relished.
