It was two months in the past that the Villa attacker was standing on the Stadium of Light pitch, seeming perplexed while Unai Emery scolded him over failing to anticipate a pass in behind. During that period, as Villa endured a six-game winless run, the question was if Rogers' form were a symptom or a cause for the side's broader struggles.
“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”
This weekend, however, the manager's outburst was much more joyous. As Rogers drilled in his brace-sealing goal to reclaim Villa's lead, the boss tore off his coat, opened his arms and roared. The Birmingham club continued to a tenth straight victory , after failing to win their initial half-dozen games, find themselves a mere three points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal.
Are They Serious Challengers?
This is a rather hard question to address. Past precedent, the traditional standing of this institution, argues against it. Furthermore, their performances haven't been entirely convincing in many games, despite the fact the victories have stacked up.
Per the data, twice all season has the team posted an xG significantly higher than their opponents. For a club who have strung together a ten-match winning streak, the Villans appear weirdly vulnerable – but at the moment the fine lines are swinging for them.
The Reliant Strategy
Their recent policy appears to be to engage in a shootout with the opposition and then rely on their star man to bail them out with some crisp finishes. This was the case away to Leeds, it happened at West Ham, and once more when facing United.
His opener stemmed from a brilliant finish, curled right inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal was essentially a somewhat messier replica of his first 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.”
Can It Last?
Reason suggests otherwise. In the recent win, the opponents had more efforts and more shots on target. The team has secured their last eight victories by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in nearly all of those fixtures.
A reversion to average might be the most significant challenge the club must confront over the coming weeks. Rogers, almost certainly, cannot maintain drilling his shots into the net's top corner indefinitely.
Reasons for Optimism
Could it be an alternative path whereby, instead of luck running out, the level of play rises to match the results. Key players might still rediscover their best form.
- The main striker could start scoring again.
- The winger could transform into the performer he showed in Germany.
- The defensive duo are due to return from injury, bolstering an occasionally vulnerable defence.
This could contain the potential for a sustained push, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on one man.
Savoring the Moment
Yet, this was unforeseen. Nobody thought Villa would be third at Christmas. And most definitely earlier this season, few could imagine the young forward as the year closed would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit and appearing as an essential player for the national team.
This winning streak is to be savoured exactly since it seems so surreal. When the hero stood in front of the Villa faithful when the game ended orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. These runs of form are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.
