It was 60 days prior that the young forward stood on the pitch at Sunderland, seeming perplexed while his coach scolded him for failing to anticipate a pass in behind. During that period, with the team endured a six-game winless run, the question was if his performances were a symptom or the source for the team's more general malaise.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
On Sunday, however, the touchline reaction proved to be much more joyous. When Rogers curled home his brace-sealing goal to restore his side's advantage, Emery ripped off his coat, threw his arms wide and roared. The Birmingham club marched on to a 10th successive win , having failed to win their opening six matches, are somehow just three points off pace-setters Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Serious Hopefuls?
This is a rather hard proposition to address. The historical record, a general sense of Villa, argues against it. Additionally, they have not been entirely convincing in many games, even as the victories have accumulated.
According to statistical analysis, on just two occasions have Villa posted an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than the other team. For a club who have put together ten consecutive victories, the Villans look weirdly vulnerable – yet currently the tight outcomes are going in their favour.
The Rogers Recipe
Their recent policy looks like to trade blows with rivals and then rely on Rogers to bail them out with some crisp finishes. It happened at Leeds, it transpired at West Ham, and once more versus the Red Devils.
The initial strike originated from an exquisite effort, bent precisely inside the upright from the edge of the area. For his second acted as a slight scruffier version of his first 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.”
How Long Can This Continue?
Reason suggests otherwise. In the recent win, the opponents registered a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. Villa have won each of their last eight by a single goal. The defence has been breached in all but one of those fixtures.
A statistical correction could be the biggest rival they will encounter in the near future. Rogers, almost certainly, cannot keep on thrashing his shots into the net's top corner week in, week out.
A Case for Belief
Perhaps there is an alternative path whereby, instead of luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs could still find their top level.
- The main striker might resume finding the net regularly.
- The attacking talent might become the player he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
- The injured centre-backs are set to regain fitness, bolstering a sometimes shaky defensive unit.
Maybe within that lies the seeds of a title challenge, but they surely can continue to depend solely on a single individual.
Relishing the Unlikely
But then, this was unforeseen. Few believed Aston Villa would be in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely back in October, no one envisioned Rogers now would be spearheading a hunt for the title and appearing as a crucial player for the national team.
This winning streak must be cherished precisely because it seems so surreal. As the match-winner stood in front of the home supporters when the game ended orchestrating the applause, he seemed to be relishing every moment. A feeling he has rightly earned. These spells are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.
