Just two months prior that the young forward found himself on the pitch at Sunderland, looking confused while the Villa manager berated him for failing to anticipate a penetrating pass. Back then, as Villa endured a six-game winless run, doubts remained whether Rogers' form were a sign or the reason for Villa's more general malaise.
“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”
On Sunday, however, the manager's outburst was entirely much more joyous. When the England international drilled in his brace-sealing goal to restore the lead for Villa, the boss ripped off his jacket, opened his arms and roared. Villa were on their way to ten wins in a row and having failed to win their initial half-dozen games, are somehow just three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.
Are They Genuine Hopefuls?
That’s a particularly tough query to address. Past precedent, a general sense of this institution, suggests not. Additionally, they've rarely been wholly dominant this season, even as the wins have accumulated.
Per statistical analysis, twice all season have Villa posted an xG significantly higher than the opposition. For a side which has put together ten consecutive victories, the Villans seem weirdly vulnerable – yet right now the tight outcomes are swinging for them.
The Rogers Recipe
The current approach appears to be to exchange chances with the opposition before hoping Rogers to rescue them with a couple of crisp finishes. This occurred against Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and again versus the Red Devils.
Rogers' first goal originated from a brilliant finish, arced precisely inside the upright from the corner of the box. The follow-up goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration of his first capitalizing on a setup by his strike partner.
“Much like Robben with his left, Rogers’ right foot has become a known threat that remains brutally unstoppable, regardless of anticipation.”
How Long Can This Continue?
Reason suggests otherwise. During the latest victory, Manchester United managed more efforts and more efforts on goal. The team has secured their last eight victories by a single goal. They’ve conceded in all but one of those fixtures.
Regression to the mean might be the most significant challenge they have to face over the coming weeks. The forward, almost certainly, cannot maintain thrashing his shots into the net's top corner week in, week out.
Potential for Growth
Maybe there exists an alternative path in which, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures may yet find their top level.
- Ollie Watkins may begin to scoring again.
- The winger might become the force he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are set to regain fitness, bolstering a periodically leaky defence.
Maybe within that lies the seeds for a sustained push, however, it is improbable can continue to depend solely on one man.
Relishing the Unlikely
Yet, nobody expected this. Few believed Aston Villa would occupy third at Christmas. And most definitely back in October, few could imagine the young forward now would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit while looking like a vital Three Lions star.
The current run should be enjoyed precisely because it seems so surreal. When Rogers positioned himself before the North End when the game ended conducting the cheers, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. A feeling he has rightly earned. These spells are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.
