It was eight weeks prior that the young forward found himself on the Sunderland turf, seeming perplexed as his coach scolded him for not reading a penetrating pass. During that period, as the club failed to win in six, doubts remained whether his displays were a symptom or the source for the side's broader struggles.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
On Sunday, however, the manager's outburst proved to be decidedly more positive. When the England international drilled in his second strike to reclaim Villa's lead, the Spanish tactician tore off his coat, threw his arms wide and bellowed. The team were on their way to a 10th successive win and despite not winning any of their first six games, now sit a mere three points behind the leaders Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Genuine Title Contenders?
That’s an exceptionally difficult question to address. Past precedent, a general sense of Villa, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, they've rarely been entirely convincing this season, even as the wins have accumulated.
Per Opta, twice all season has the team posted an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a side which has put together ten consecutive victories, Villa appear weirdly vulnerable – but at the moment the tight outcomes are falling their way.
The Rogers Recipe
Their recent policy looks like to engage in a shootout with rivals before hoping their talisman to save the day with some precise efforts. This occurred away to Leeds, it happened at West Ham, and again versus United.
The initial strike stemmed from a superb shot, arced precisely inside the upright from a wide position. For his second proved to be a slight scruffier version of goal number one as he pounced on a pass from Watkins.
“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.”
How Long Can This Continue?
Logic says not. Against United, the opponents managed more efforts and more efforts on goal. Villa have triumphed in eight consecutive games by just one goal. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those fixtures.
A reversion to average may well be the greatest opponent Villa must confront in the near future. Their key man, almost certainly, will not continue to drilling his shots into the top corner week in, week out.
Potential for Growth
Perhaps there is an alternative path in which, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players may yet return to peak condition.
- The main striker may begin to adding to his goal tally.
- Jadon Sancho might become the force he resembled during his peak.
- The injured centre-backs will eventually come back from the treatment room, strengthening an occasionally vulnerable backline.
This could contain the possibility of a title challenge, yet it seems unlikely can persist in leaning entirely on one man.
Relishing the Unlikely
But then, this was unforeseen. Nobody thought Aston Villa would sit in the top three for the holidays. And certainly two months ago, nobody thought Rogers now would be leading a title charge and appearing as a crucial Three Lions star.
The current run should be enjoyed for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. When Rogers faced the Villa faithful when the game ended orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. These runs of form are rare in football and must be appreciated.
