It was 60 days prior that the Villa attacker stood on the Sunderland turf, seeming perplexed as Unai Emery admonished him for not reading a penetrating pass. During that period, as the club failed to win in six, the question was if his displays were an indicator or a cause of the team's more general malaise.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
This weekend, in contrast, the touchline reaction proved to be decidedly more positive. As the in-form star curled home his second strike to reinstate his side's advantage, the Spanish tactician tore off his winter coat, spread his arms and bellowed. The Birmingham club were on their way to a tenth straight victory and despite not winning any of their first six games, find themselves only three points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Legitimate Title Contenders?
It remains an exceptionally difficult query to address. Past precedent, the perceived status of Villa, indicates otherwise. Additionally, they have not been wholly dominant in many games, despite the fact the victories have stacked up.
Per statistical analysis, in only two games has the side registered an xG significantly higher than their opponents. For a team which has strung together ten consecutive victories, they seem curiously susceptible – but at the moment the margins are swinging for them.
The Winning Formula
The prevailing tactic appears to be to exchange chances with rivals and then rely on their talisman to save the day with two clinical strikes. This was the case away to Leeds, it happened in London, and it happened when facing the Red Devils.
Rogers' first goal came from an exquisite effort, curled right inside the post from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal acted as a slight scruffier version of the opener capitalizing 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.”
Can It Last?
Logic says not. During the latest victory, Manchester United had a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. The team has won each of their last eight by a single goal. The defence has been breached in all except one of those fixtures.
Regression to the mean may well be the greatest opponent Villa will encounter over the coming weeks. Their key man, in all likelihood, will not continue to thrashing his shots into the net's top corner week in, week out.
A Case for Belief
Could it be another reality whereby, rather than luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs may yet rediscover their best form.
- The main striker could start adding to his goal tally.
- Jadon Sancho might become the player he showed during his peak.
- The injured centre-backs will eventually return from injury, fortifying a periodically leaky defence.
Perhaps there is in that the potential of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on a single individual.
Savoring the Moment
Yet, this is a surprise. It seemed improbable Villa would be in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely earlier this season, nobody thought the young forward by the end of the year would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit and appearing as an essential player for the national team.
The current run must be cherished precisely because it appears so improbable. When Rogers positioned himself before the North End when the game ended leading the celebrations, it was clear to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. These spells do not happen often and should be relished.
