It was eight weeks ago when the Villa attacker found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered while Unai Emery berated him for not reading a pass in behind. During that period, with the team went six without a win, it wasn't clear if his performances were an indicator or a cause for the side's more general malaise.
“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”
This weekend, however, the sideline response was decidedly more positive. After the England international swept in his second to reclaim Villa's lead, Emery tore off his coat, spread his arms and bellowed. Villa were on their way to a tenth straight victory and despite not winning their initial half-dozen games, are somehow only three points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal.
Is This Team Legitimate Challengers?
That’s an exceptionally difficult question to address. History, a general sense of Villa, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, their performances haven't been completely commanding in many games, even as the wins have accumulated.
As per Opta, twice all season have Villa posted an expected goals figure notably superior than their opponents. For a club that have just won 10 in a row, the Villans appear weirdly vulnerable – but currently the margins are swinging for them.
The Reliant Strategy
The current approach looks like to trade blows with the opposition before hoping their star man to rescue them with some precise efforts. This occurred away to Leeds, it happened at West Ham, and once more when facing United.
His opener came from an exquisite effort, arced right inside the upright from the corner of the box. His brace-completing goal acted as a somewhat messier replica of goal number one as he pounced on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.
“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?
Common sense dictates no. During the latest victory, Manchester United managed a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. Villa have triumphed in eight consecutive games by a single goal. The defence has been breached in all except one of those fixtures.
A statistical correction could be the greatest opponent the club have to face over the coming weeks. Rogers, almost certainly, cannot maintain blasting his shots into the net's top corner week in, week out.
Reasons for Optimism
Perhaps there is a different scenario whereby, instead of results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players could still rediscover their best form.
- The main striker may begin to adding to his goal tally.
- The winger may rediscover the player he resembled in Germany.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will eventually come back from the treatment room, bolstering an occasionally vulnerable backline.
This could contain the possibility of a genuine bid, but they surely can continue to depend solely on one man.
Enjoying the Ride
However, nobody expected this. Few believed Villa would occupy third at Christmas. And certainly earlier this season, few could imagine Rogers by the end of the year would be spearheading a hunt for the title and appearing as a vital England player.
This winning streak should be enjoyed precisely because it seems so surreal. As Rogers positioned himself before the Villa faithful after the match leading the celebrations, he appeared to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. These runs of form do not happen often and ought to be celebrated.
