A mere eight weeks prior when the young forward was standing on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered as Unai Emery admonished him over not reading a through-ball. During that period, with the team endured a six-game winless run, the question was whether his displays were a symptom or the reason for Villa's more general malaise.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
This weekend, in contrast, the sideline response was much more joyous. When Rogers drilled in his second strike to restore the lead for Villa, the boss discarded his coat, opened his arms and roared. The Birmingham club marched on to ten wins in a row and having failed to win their initial half-dozen fixtures, are somehow only three points off pace-setters Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Serious Hopefuls?
That’s a particularly tough query to address. The historical record, a general sense of this institution, argues against it. Moreover, they have not been completely commanding in many games, while the positive results have stacked up.
Per the data, twice all season has the side had an expected goals figure significantly higher than their opponents. For a side that have just won ten consecutive victories, they appear strangely fragile – however at the moment the fine lines are swinging for them.
The Winning Formula
Their recent policy seems to be to engage in a shootout with the opposition and then rely on their star man to save the day with two clinical strikes. This occurred at Leeds, it happened at West Ham, and once more against the Red Devils.
The initial strike stemmed from a superb shot, curled just inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. For his second was essentially a slight scruffier version of the opener capitalizing 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.”
How Long Can This Continue?
Reason suggests otherwise. During the latest victory, the opposition had a greater number of attempts and more efforts on goal. They have triumphed in eight consecutive games by just one goal. They have allowed goals in all except one of those fixtures.
Regression to the mean might be the biggest rival the club have to face in the near future. Their key man, in all likelihood, will not continue to blasting the ball into the net's top corner indefinitely.
Reasons for Optimism
Maybe there exists an alternative path in which, rather than results trending towards performances, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Vital cogs might still return to peak condition.
- The main striker may begin to finding the net regularly.
- Jadon Sancho might become the player he showed at Borussia Dortmund.
- The defensive duo are set to return from injury, fortifying an occasionally vulnerable backline.
Perhaps there is in that the possibility of a genuine bid, however, it is improbable cannot keep relying on one man.
Enjoying the Ride
However, this is a surprise. Nobody thought Villa would occupy in the top three for the holidays. And certainly back in October, few could imagine Rogers now would be at the forefront of a title charge while looking like a vital England player.
This winning streak should be enjoyed for the very reason that it appears so improbable. As Rogers faced the home supporters when the game ended conducting the cheers, it was clear to be relishing every moment. A feeling he has rightly earned. These runs of form are uncommon in the sport and should be relished.
