Just eight weeks prior that the Villa attacker was standing on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered while his coach scolded him over not reading a through-ball. Back then, as the club failed to win in six, the question was if his displays were an indicator or a cause for the team's wider issues.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
In the latest match, however, the manager's outburst was much more joyous. As the England international drilled in his second strike to restore his side's advantage, Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide and bellowed. The team marched on to a tenth straight victory , having failed to win any of their first six matches, now sit just three points off table-toppers Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Serious Challengers?
That’s a particularly tough proposition to resolve. The historical record, the traditional standing of the club, argues against it. Furthermore, they have not been wholly dominant in many games, despite the fact the positive results have piled up.
As per Opta, twice all season has the side had an xG significantly higher than the opposition. For a club who have put together 10 in a row, the Villans appear curiously susceptible – however right now the margins are falling their way.
The Reliant Strategy
The prevailing tactic seems to be to exchange chances with an opponent and then rely on their star man to bail them out with some precise efforts. This occurred at Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and it happened when facing Manchester United.
Rogers' first goal stemmed from an exquisite effort, curled just inside the post from a wide position. His brace-completing goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of his first as he pounced on a pass from Watkins.
“Much like Robben with his left, Rogers’ right foot has become a known threat that remains brutally unstoppable, regardless of anticipation.”
Is It Sustainable?
Logic says not. Against United, the opposition registered more shots and more shots on target. Villa have triumphed in eight consecutive games by just one goal. They have allowed goals in nearly all of those fixtures.
A reversion to average could be the most significant challenge the club will encounter as the season progresses. Their key man, in all likelihood, will not continue to drilling the football into the top corner week in, week out.
Reasons for Optimism
Could it be an alternative path whereby, instead of results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Important figures could still return to peak condition.
- The main striker might resume adding to his goal tally.
- The attacking talent could transform into the performer he was in Germany.
- The defensive duo are due to regain fitness, strengthening a periodically leaky defence.
Maybe within that lies the potential of a title challenge, yet it seems unlikely cannot keep relying on one man.
Enjoying the Ride
But then, this was unforeseen. Few believed Aston Villa would sit in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely earlier this season, few could imagine Rogers by the end of the year would be spearheading a championship pursuit and appearing as a crucial player for the national team.
This remarkable period must be cherished exactly since it feels so unlikely. As Rogers positioned himself before the Villa faithful when the game ended orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. Which he fully merits. Such periods do not happen often and must be appreciated.
