A mere eight weeks ago that the Villa attacker found himself on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered while the Villa manager scolded him for missing a pass in behind. During that period, as the club went six without a win, doubts remained if Rogers' form were an indicator or a cause of 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 proved to be decidedly more positive. As Rogers swept in his second to restore his side's advantage, the Spanish tactician tore off his coat, opened his arms and shouted in triumph. The team marched on to ten wins in a row , having failed to win their opening six matches, find themselves just three points off the leaders Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Serious Challengers?
That’s a rather hard proposition to answer. Past precedent, the traditional standing of the club, argues against it. Furthermore, they have not been wholly dominant in many games, while the wins have accumulated.
As per Opta, on just two occasions have Villa registered an expected goals figure significantly higher than their opponents. For a team that have put together a ten-match winning streak, they look curiously susceptible – yet currently the fine lines are swinging for them.
The Rogers Recipe
Their recent policy seems to be to trade blows with rivals before hoping their talisman to save the day with some crisp finishes. This was the case at Leeds, it transpired at West Ham, and again against the Red Devils.
Rogers' first goal originated from an exquisite effort, curled precisely inside the post from a wide position. The follow-up goal acted as a somewhat messier replica of his first as he pounced on a setup by his strike partner.
“Much like Robben with his left, Rogers’ right foot has become a known threat that remains brutally unstoppable, regardless of anticipation.”
How Long Can This Continue?
Common sense dictates no. During the latest victory, Manchester United registered a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. The team has secured their last eight victories by just one goal. They have allowed goals in nearly all of those games.
A reversion to average could be the most significant challenge Villa will encounter in the near future. The forward, surely, cannot keep on blasting his shots into the net's top corner forever.
Reasons for Optimism
Could it be an alternative path where, rather than results trending towards performances, the level of play rises to match the results. Vital cogs could still return to peak condition.
- Ollie Watkins may begin to scoring again.
- The attacking talent may rediscover the player he resembled during his peak.
- The injured centre-backs are due to return from injury, strengthening a periodically leaky defensive unit.
This could contain the potential of a title challenge, but they surely cannot keep relying on one man.
Relishing the Unlikely
But then, this is a surprise. It seemed improbable the team would sit third at Christmas. And most definitely back in October, nobody thought the midfielder as the year closed would be spearheading a title charge while establishing himself as a crucial player for the national team.
This winning streak should be enjoyed exactly since it seems so surreal. As the match-winner faced the North End after the match conducting the cheers, it was clear to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. These runs of form do not happen often and ought to be celebrated.
