A mere 60 days prior when the Villa attacker was standing on the pitch at Sunderland, seeming perplexed while his coach admonished him over missing a penetrating pass. During that period, as the club went six without a win, the question was whether his performances were a sign or the reason of the side's wider issues.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
In the latest match, however, the touchline reaction was far more favourable. When the in-form star swept in his second to reclaim Villa's lead, Emery ripped off his winter coat, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. Villa marched on to a tenth straight victory , despite not winning their opening six matches, are somehow just three points off the leaders Arsenal.
Are They Legitimate Hopefuls?
It remains a rather hard question to address. The historical record, the traditional standing of the club, indicates otherwise. Additionally, their performances haven't been completely commanding during this run, while the wins have stacked up.
Per Opta, twice all season have Villa registered an expected goals figure significantly higher than their opponents. For a team who have just won 10 in a row, they appear strangely fragile – but currently the tight outcomes are going in their favour.
The Winning Formula
The prevailing tactic looks like to exchange chances with an opponent and wait for their star man to bail them out with some precise efforts. This occurred against Leeds, it transpired at West Ham, and again against United.
The initial strike stemmed from a superb shot, bent just inside the upright from a wide position. For his second proved to be a somewhat messier replica of his first capitalizing on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.
“Rogers’ right foot is now akin to Robben’s legendary left: forewarned does not mean forearmed, and stopping him is another matter entirely.”
Is It Sustainable?
Reason suggests otherwise. In the recent win, the opposition registered more efforts and more shots on target. Villa have triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in nearly all of those games.
Regression to the mean might be the biggest rival the club will encounter in the near future. Rogers, surely, will not continue to blasting the ball into the net's top corner week in, week out.
Potential for Growth
Could it be a different scenario where, instead of luck running out, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Key players might still find their top level.
- The main striker might resume finding the net regularly.
- The winger might become the player he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
- The injured centre-backs are due to return from injury, bolstering a sometimes shaky backline.
Maybe within that lies the possibility of a title challenge, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on one man.
Enjoying the Ride
However, nobody expected this. Nobody thought the team would occupy in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely two months ago, few could imagine Rogers as the year closed would be leading a hunt for the title while looking like an essential England player.
This winning streak is to be savoured for the very reason that it seems so surreal. When the hero faced the home supporters when the game ended orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. Such periods are uncommon in the sport and ought to be celebrated.
