It was eight weeks prior that the young forward found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, looking confused as the Villa manager scolded him over failing to anticipate a through-ball. At that point, as Villa went six without a win, doubts remained if his displays were an indicator or the source for Villa's broader struggles.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
In the latest match, in contrast, the sideline response proved to be much more joyous. As the in-form star curled home his brace-sealing goal to reclaim the lead for Villa, the boss ripped off his coat, opened his arms and roared. The Birmingham club continued to ten wins in a row , despite not winning their opening six matches, find themselves just three points adrift of pace-setters Arsenal.
Is This Team Serious Hopefuls?
This is a rather hard question to answer. History, the traditional standing of this institution, suggests not. Additionally, their performances haven't been wholly dominant during this run, even as the positive results have accumulated.
Per statistical analysis, on just two occasions has the side registered an xG more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a club that have put together a ten-match winning streak, the Villans seem curiously susceptible – but currently the tight outcomes are going in their favour.
The Rogers Recipe
The current approach looks like to trade blows with the opposition and wait for their talisman to save the day with two crisp finishes. This occurred at Leeds, it transpired in London, and again against Manchester United.
His opener originated from a brilliant finish, bent precisely inside the goal frame from a wide position. His brace-completing goal acted as a somewhat messier replica of goal number one 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?
Reason suggests otherwise. In the recent win, the opposition managed more shots and more shots on target. Villa have won each of their last eight by a single goal. They have allowed goals in all except one of those fixtures.
Regression to the mean could be the most significant challenge the club must confront as the season progresses. Rogers, surely, cannot keep on thrashing his shots past despairing goalkeepers forever.
Reasons for Optimism
Maybe there exists a different scenario in which, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs might still rediscover their best form.
- Ollie Watkins could start scoring again.
- The winger might become the performer he resembled in Germany.
- The defensive duo are due to return from injury, bolstering a sometimes shaky defence.
Perhaps there is in that the seeds of a title challenge, but they surely cannot keep relying on one man.
Savoring the Moment
Yet, this is a surprise. Nobody thought Villa would occupy in the top three for the holidays. And without a doubt back in October, few could imagine the young forward as the year closed would be spearheading a championship pursuit and appearing as a vital Three Lions star.
The current run is to be savoured for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. As Rogers faced the North End when the game ended leading the celebrations, he appeared to be loving the experience. A feeling he has rightly earned. Such periods do not happen often and should be relished.
