It was 60 days prior when the young forward was standing on the pitch at Sunderland, looking confused while the Villa manager berated him for not reading a penetrating pass. Back then, with the team went six without a win, it wasn't clear if Rogers' form were an indicator or the reason of Villa's wider issues.
“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”
This weekend, though, the touchline reaction proved to be much more joyous. As the in-form star drilled in his brace-sealing goal to restore the lead for Villa, Emery tore off his coat, spread his arms and bellowed. The team continued to a tenth straight victory , having failed to win their opening six fixtures, find themselves a mere three points adrift of the leaders Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Legitimate Title Contenders?
That’s an exceptionally difficult question to address. History, a general sense of Villa, argues against it. Additionally, they've rarely been entirely convincing in many games, while the positive results have piled up.
Per the data, in only two games has the team posted an xG notably superior than the opposition. For a side who have put together a ten-match winning streak, the Villans appear weirdly vulnerable – but right now the fine lines are falling their way.
The Reliant Strategy
Their recent policy seems to be to engage in a shootout with rivals and wait for Rogers to rescue them with some crisp finishes. It happened against Leeds, it happened against West Ham, and it happened against United.
The initial strike came from a superb shot, arced precisely inside the post from the corner of the box. The follow-up goal proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of the opener capitalizing on a setup by his strike partner.
“Rogers’ right foot is now akin to Robben’s legendary left: forewarned does not mean forearmed, and stopping him is another matter entirely.”
How Long Can This Continue?
Logic says not. Against United, Manchester United managed more shots and more efforts on goal. Villa have won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in all but one of those fixtures.
A reversion to average may well be the biggest rival Villa will encounter in the near future. Rogers, in all likelihood, will not continue to thrashing the football into the top corner week in, week out.
Reasons for Optimism
Maybe there exists another reality where, rather than luck running out, the level of play rises to match the results. Vital cogs could still return to peak condition.
- Ollie Watkins may begin to adding to his goal tally.
- Jadon Sancho might become the performer he showed during his peak.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to regain fitness, strengthening a sometimes shaky backline.
Maybe within that lies the potential of a genuine bid, but they surely can continue to depend solely on one man.
Enjoying the Ride
Yet, this was unforeseen. Nobody thought Villa would occupy in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely two months ago, few could imagine the young forward as the year closed would be spearheading a title charge and appearing as a vital England player.
This remarkable period must be cherished precisely because it seems so surreal. As Rogers stood in front of the Villa faithful after the match 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.
