A mere two months ago when the Villa attacker stood on the Sunderland turf, seeming perplexed as the Villa manager berated him for failing to anticipate a through-ball. Back then, as Villa endured a six-game winless run, it wasn't clear whether his displays were a symptom or a cause for the side's broader struggles.
“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 proved to be far more favourable. As the in-form star curled home his second to reinstate Villa's lead, the boss ripped off his coat, threw his arms wide and bellowed. Villa continued to a 10th successive win , having failed to win any of their first six matches, are somehow only three points off table-toppers Arsenal.
Are They Serious Title Contenders?
This is an exceptionally difficult proposition to resolve. Past precedent, the traditional standing of Villa, indicates otherwise. Additionally, they have not been entirely convincing during this run, while the wins have stacked up.
Per Opta, twice all season has the team registered an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a club who have strung together 10 in a row, the Villans look weirdly vulnerable – yet at the moment the fine lines are swinging for them.
The Reliant Strategy
The prevailing tactic seems to be to engage in a shootout with the opposition before hoping their star man to rescue them with a couple of crisp finishes. This occurred away to Leeds, it occurred in London, and again against United.
His opener came from a superb shot, bent just inside the goal frame from a wide position. His brace-completing goal acted as a somewhat messier replica of the opener as he pounced on a pass from Watkins.
“Rogers’ right foot is now akin to Robben’s legendary left: forewarned does not mean forearmed, and stopping him is another matter entirely.”
Can It Last?
Logic says not. During the latest victory, the opponents had a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. The team has won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those matches.
Regression to the mean might be the biggest rival Villa will encounter as the season progresses. Rogers, surely, cannot keep on drilling his shots into the net's top corner indefinitely.
Potential for Growth
Maybe there exists another reality whereby, rather than luck running out, the level of play rises to match the results. Important figures could still find their top level.
- The main striker may begin to adding to his goal tally.
- The attacking talent could transform into the performer he showed in Germany.
- The injured centre-backs are set to come back from the treatment room, strengthening a sometimes shaky defence.
Perhaps there is in that the seeds for a sustained push, however, it is improbable can continue to depend solely on a single individual.
Enjoying the Ride
However, this is a surprise. Few believed the team would sit in the top three for the holidays. And certainly two months ago, no one envisioned the young forward now would be leading a hunt for the title and appearing as a crucial Three Lions star.
The current run is to be savoured precisely because it feels so unlikely. When Rogers faced the North End when the game ended conducting the cheers, he appeared to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. These runs of form do not happen often and should be relished.
