It was 60 days in the past that the Villa attacker stood on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered while Unai Emery berated him over not reading a penetrating pass. During that period, with the team failed to win in six, it wasn't clear whether his displays were a sign or the source for Villa's broader struggles.
“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 entirely much more joyous. After Rogers curled home his brace-sealing goal to reinstate Villa's lead, Emery ripped off his jacket, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. Villa were on their way to ten wins in a row and after failing to win their initial half-dozen matches, now sit a mere three points behind the leaders Arsenal.
Is This Team Serious Hopefuls?
That’s an exceptionally difficult query to answer. History, a general sense of Villa, suggests not. Furthermore, their performances haven't been wholly dominant in many games, despite the fact the positive results have stacked up.
According to the data, in only two games has the side posted an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than the other team. For a side who have strung together a ten-match winning streak, they look weirdly vulnerable – however currently the tight outcomes are swinging for them.
The Winning Formula
The prevailing tactic appears to be to exchange chances with an opponent and then rely on their talisman to bail them out with a couple of clinical strikes. This occurred against Leeds, it happened at West Ham, and again versus Manchester United.
Rogers' first goal stemmed from a brilliant finish, arced right inside the post from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration of his first capitalizing on a setup by his strike partner.
“Rogers’ right foot is now akin to Robben’s legendary left: forewarned does not mean forearmed, and stopping him is another matter entirely.”
How Long Can This Continue?
Reason suggests otherwise. Against United, Manchester United managed more efforts and more shots on target. The team has won each of their last eight by just one goal. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those fixtures.
A reversion to average could be the greatest opponent the club must confront as the season progresses. Their key man, in all likelihood, cannot maintain drilling his shots into the net's top corner forever.
Reasons for Optimism
Could it be another reality whereby, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures may yet return to peak condition.
- The main striker might resume scoring again.
- The attacking talent might become the performer he was during his peak.
- The defensive duo are due to come back from the treatment room, fortifying a sometimes shaky defence.
This could contain the possibility of a genuine bid, but they surely can continue to depend solely on a single individual.
Enjoying the Ride
However, this is a surprise. Few believed Villa would be in a Champions League place in December. And certainly two months ago, few could imagine the young forward as the year closed would be leading a championship pursuit while looking like a crucial England player.
This remarkable period should be enjoyed for the very reason that it seems so surreal. As the match-winner positioned himself before the North End when the game ended leading the celebrations, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. Which he fully merits. These spells are uncommon in the sport and should be relished.
