A mere two months ago when the Villa attacker stood on the Sunderland turf, looking confused while the Villa manager admonished him for missing a pass in behind. During that period, as Villa went six without a win, the question was if Rogers' form were a sign or a cause for Villa's wider issues.
“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”
In the latest match, though, the manager's outburst was much more joyous. After the England international drilled in his second to reclaim the lead for Villa, the Spanish tactician ripped off his winter coat, opened his arms and shouted in triumph. The Birmingham club continued to a 10th successive win and despite not winning any of their first six matches, now sit only three points adrift of pace-setters Arsenal.
Is This Team Genuine Hopefuls?
It remains a rather hard question to answer. History, the traditional standing of this institution, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, their performances haven't been completely commanding this season, despite the fact the wins have accumulated.
As per Opta, on just two occasions have Villa had an xG more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a club who have put together ten consecutive victories, the Villans look strangely fragile – yet at the moment the tight outcomes are falling their way.
The Rogers Recipe
Their recent policy seems to be to engage in a shootout with rivals and then rely on their talisman to rescue them with two crisp finishes. It happened against Leeds, it occurred in London, and once more against United.
Rogers' first goal came from a brilliant finish, curled right inside the post from the edge of the area. The follow-up goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration 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.”
How Long Can This Continue?
Reason suggests otherwise. During the latest victory, the opponents registered a greater number of attempts and more shots on target. Villa have triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in all but one of those games.
Regression to the mean might be the biggest rival the club must confront in the near future. Rogers, surely, cannot maintain thrashing his shots into the top corner indefinitely.
A Case for Belief
Maybe there exists a different scenario where, instead of luck running out, the level of play rises to match the results. Important figures could still return to peak condition.
- Ollie Watkins might resume scoring again.
- The winger might become the player he resembled during his peak.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to regain fitness, bolstering an occasionally vulnerable defensive unit.
This could contain the seeds of a genuine bid, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on one man.
Enjoying the Ride
But then, nobody expected this. Few believed Villa would occupy in the top three for the holidays. And certainly earlier this season, nobody thought Rogers by the end of the year would be spearheading a championship pursuit and appearing as a crucial England player.
The current run should be enjoyed exactly since it seems so surreal. As the hero stood in front of the North End after the match leading the celebrations, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. Which he fully merits. Such periods do not happen often and should be relished.
