A mere 60 days in the past when the young forward found himself on the Sunderland turf, looking confused as his coach berated him for failing to anticipate a pass in behind. At that point, as the club failed to win in six, the question was if Rogers' form were a sign or the reason for Villa's wider issues.
“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”
On Sunday, in contrast, the manager's outburst was decidedly more positive. After the in-form star drilled in his second to restore Villa's lead, the Spanish tactician tore off his jacket, opened his arms and bellowed. Villa were on their way to a 10th successive win , having failed to win any of their first six matches, find themselves a mere three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.
Are They Legitimate Hopefuls?
That’s a rather hard query to answer. History, a general sense of this institution, suggests not. Furthermore, their performances haven't been completely commanding this season, despite the fact the positive results have stacked up.
Per the data, on just two occasions has the team registered an expected goals figure significantly higher than the opposition. For a club that have strung together a ten-match winning streak, they look weirdly vulnerable – however right now the margins are swinging for them.
The Winning Formula
The current approach seems to be to exchange chances with rivals and wait for their talisman to save the day with some clinical strikes. This occurred at Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and it happened when facing United.
The initial strike originated from a brilliant finish, arced just inside the upright from a wide position. The follow-up goal was essentially a slight scruffier version of his first capitalizing 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?
Common sense dictates no. During the latest victory, Manchester United had more efforts and more efforts on goal. They have secured their last eight victories by just one goal. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those fixtures.
Regression to the mean might be the greatest opponent Villa have to face over the coming weeks. Their key man, in all likelihood, cannot maintain drilling the ball into the top corner indefinitely.
A Case for Belief
Perhaps there is another reality whereby, instead of luck running out, the level of play rises to match the results. Important figures could still rediscover their best form.
- The main striker could start scoring again.
- Jadon Sancho could transform into the performer he was in Germany.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will eventually return from injury, strengthening an occasionally vulnerable backline.
Maybe within that lies the seeds of a genuine bid, however, it is improbable can continue to depend solely on a single individual.
Relishing the Unlikely
Yet, this was unforeseen. It seemed improbable Aston Villa would sit in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely back in October, no one envisioned Rogers as the year closed would be at the forefront of a title charge while establishing himself as a crucial player for the national team.
This remarkable period is to be savoured exactly since it feels so unlikely. When the hero positioned himself before the Villa faithful when the game ended leading the celebrations, it was clear to be thoroughly enjoying it. Which he fully merits. These runs of form are uncommon in the sport and should be relished.
