It was two months in the past that the young forward stood on the Stadium of Light pitch, seeming perplexed as Unai Emery admonished him for missing a through-ball. During that period, as Villa failed to win in six, the question was whether Rogers' form were an indicator or a cause for Villa's broader struggles.
“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”
In the latest match, however, the touchline reaction was decidedly more positive. When the in-form star swept in his second strike to restore Villa's lead, Emery ripped off his coat, spread his arms and bellowed. Villa were on their way to a 10th successive win , despite not winning their initial half-dozen games, now sit just three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.
Is This Team Legitimate Hopefuls?
This is an exceptionally difficult query to resolve. The historical record, the perceived status of Villa, argues against it. Additionally, they've rarely been completely commanding in many games, while the positive results have piled up.
Per statistical analysis, twice all season have Villa posted an expected goals figure notably superior than the opposition. For a side who have put together a ten-match winning streak, the Villans look weirdly vulnerable – but right now the tight outcomes are going in their favour.
The Reliant Strategy
The current approach looks like to exchange chances with rivals before hoping Rogers to save the day with a couple of crisp finishes. This was the case against Leeds, it happened against West Ham, and again when facing Manchester United.
His opener came from a superb shot, bent right inside the upright from the corner of the box. His brace-completing goal proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one as he pounced 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.”
Is It Sustainable?
Reason suggests otherwise. During the latest victory, Manchester United had a greater number of attempts and more shots on target. Villa have won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. They have allowed goals in all except one of those matches.
A reversion to average could be the most significant challenge Villa must confront over the coming weeks. The forward, almost certainly, will not continue to drilling his shots into the top corner indefinitely.
A Case for Belief
Could it be another reality where, rather than results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures might still find their top level.
- The main striker might resume adding to his goal tally.
- The winger might become the performer he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
- The defensive duo are due to regain fitness, strengthening an occasionally vulnerable defence.
This could contain the potential of a title challenge, yet it seems unlikely can persist in leaning entirely on one man.
Savoring the Moment
But then, nobody expected this. It seemed improbable Villa would sit in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely back in October, no one envisioned Rogers by the end of the year would be leading a championship pursuit while looking like a crucial England player.
The current run must be cherished exactly since it appears so improbable. When the hero positioned himself before the home supporters at the final whistle conducting the cheers, he seemed to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. These runs of form do not happen often and must be appreciated.
