A mere two months in the past that the Villa attacker found himself on the Sunderland turf, seeming perplexed while the Villa manager admonished him for missing a through-ball. During that period, with the team endured a six-game winless run, doubts remained whether his performances were a sign or a cause for the side's wider issues.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
On Sunday, though, the touchline reaction was entirely far more favourable. When Rogers curled home his second to reinstate the lead for Villa, the boss ripped off his coat, opened his arms and shouted in triumph. Villa marched on to a tenth straight victory , having failed to win any of their first six games, now sit a mere three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Genuine Challengers?
That’s an exceptionally difficult query to address. Past precedent, a general sense of Villa, suggests not. Furthermore, they have not been completely commanding in many games, even as the positive results have stacked up.
According to the data, twice all season has the team had an xG more than 0.5 greater than the other team. For a team which has just won ten consecutive victories, Villa appear curiously susceptible – but at the moment the margins are swinging for them.
The Reliant Strategy
Their recent policy looks like to engage in a shootout with rivals before hoping their star man to save the day with two crisp finishes. It happened at Leeds, it occurred against West Ham, and it happened against United.
Rogers' first goal originated from a superb shot, curled right inside the upright from the edge of the area. For his second was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of his first as he seized 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.”
How Long Can This Continue?
Logic says not. In the recent win, the opposition had more efforts and more efforts on goal. They have triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in all but one of those matches.
A statistical correction might be the biggest rival the club have to face as the season progresses. Their key man, surely, will not continue to blasting the football past despairing goalkeepers forever.
A Case for Belief
Maybe there exists an alternative path in which, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures could still find their top level.
- The main striker may begin to adding to his goal tally.
- Jadon Sancho may rediscover the performer he was during his peak.
- The injured centre-backs will eventually return from injury, fortifying a sometimes shaky backline.
Maybe within that lies the possibility for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely can persist in leaning entirely on one man.
Enjoying the Ride
Yet, this is a surprise. Nobody thought Aston Villa would be third at Christmas. And most definitely earlier this season, no one envisioned the midfielder as the year closed would be leading a title charge while establishing himself as an essential Three Lions star.
The current run should be enjoyed precisely because it seems so surreal. As the match-winner stood in front of the home supporters when the game ended conducting the cheers, it was clear to be relishing every moment. Which he fully merits. These spells are uncommon in the sport and ought to be celebrated.
