It was eight weeks prior when the Villa attacker stood on the Stadium of Light pitch, looking confused as Unai Emery admonished him for failing to anticipate a penetrating pass. During that period, with the team failed to win in six, the question was whether Rogers' form 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.”
On Sunday, in contrast, the touchline reaction proved to be decidedly more positive. As the in-form star curled home his brace-sealing goal to restore his side's advantage, the Spanish tactician tore off his coat, opened his arms and roared. Villa continued to ten wins in a row and having failed to win their opening six matches, now sit a mere three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.
Are They Genuine Title Contenders?
This is a rather hard question to address. The historical record, a general sense of this institution, suggests not. Furthermore, their performances haven't been wholly dominant in many games, even as the positive results have stacked up.
As per statistical analysis, twice all season has the side registered an xG more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a team which has put together a ten-match winning streak, they look weirdly vulnerable – but currently the margins are swinging for them.
The Winning Formula
Their recent policy appears to be to engage in a shootout with the opposition and then rely on their talisman to save the day with a couple of precise efforts. This occurred at Leeds, it happened in London, and again against Manchester United.
The initial strike stemmed from an exquisite effort, arced right inside the post from a wide position. The follow-up goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of the opener as he pounced on a setup by his strike partner.
“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?
Logic says not. In the recent win, the opponents had more efforts and more shots on target. They have secured their last eight victories by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in all but one of those fixtures.
A statistical correction may well be the biggest rival the club have to face over the coming weeks. Their key man, almost certainly, will not continue to thrashing the ball past despairing goalkeepers indefinitely.
Potential for Growth
Perhaps there is another reality where, instead of luck running out, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Vital cogs may yet rediscover their best form.
- The centre-forward may begin to scoring again.
- The winger might become the player he resembled during his peak.
- The injured centre-backs will eventually come back from the treatment room, bolstering an occasionally vulnerable defensive unit.
Perhaps there is in that the possibility of a genuine bid, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on a single individual.
Enjoying the Ride
Yet, this was unforeseen. Few believed Aston Villa would be in a Champions League place in December. And without a doubt earlier this season, nobody thought the midfielder now would be spearheading a title charge while establishing himself as a vital Three Lions star.
This winning streak is to be savoured exactly since it seems so surreal. As the match-winner stood in front of the Villa faithful at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, it was clear to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. Such periods do not happen often and ought to be celebrated.
