It was eight weeks prior when the young forward was standing on the Sunderland turf, looking confused while the Villa manager scolded him over missing a through-ball. At that point, as the club failed to win in six, it wasn't clear if Rogers' form were an indicator or a cause for the side's wider issues.
“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 was decidedly more positive. When the England international drilled in his brace-sealing goal to reclaim the lead for Villa, the boss tore off his winter coat, opened his arms and roared. Villa marched on to ten wins in a row , having failed to win their opening six matches, now sit just three points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Legitimate Title Contenders?
This is an exceptionally difficult query to answer. Past precedent, the perceived status of Villa, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, they've rarely been wholly dominant this season, even as the victories have stacked up.
Per statistical analysis, on just two occasions has the side had an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a team who have just won a ten-match winning streak, the Villans look curiously susceptible – but at the moment the tight outcomes are swinging for them.
The Winning Formula
Their recent policy appears to be to engage in a shootout with an opponent and wait for their star man to bail them out with two crisp finishes. This occurred at Leeds, it happened in London, and it happened against United.
Rogers' first goal originated from an exquisite effort, curled precisely inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal proved to be a somewhat messier replica of goal number one capitalizing on a pass from Watkins.
“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?
Reason suggests otherwise. During the latest victory, the opposition registered more shots and more shots on target. They have triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those fixtures.
A statistical correction could be the most significant challenge they will encounter over the coming weeks. Rogers, surely, will not continue to drilling his shots into the top corner indefinitely.
Reasons for Optimism
Maybe there exists an alternative path whereby, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Vital cogs could still find their top level.
- The main striker may begin to finding the net regularly.
- The winger might become the performer he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
- The injured centre-backs will eventually return from injury, fortifying an occasionally vulnerable backline.
Perhaps there is in that the possibility of a title challenge, yet it seems unlikely cannot keep relying on a single individual.
Enjoying the Ride
But then, nobody expected this. Few believed Villa would occupy third at Christmas. And certainly back in October, few could imagine the midfielder now would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title while establishing himself as an essential England player.
This winning streak should be enjoyed for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. When the match-winner faced the North End after the match conducting the cheers, he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it. A feeling he has rightly earned. These spells are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.
