A mere eight weeks prior when the Villa attacker was standing on the Stadium of Light pitch, looking confused while the Villa manager scolded him over failing to anticipate a pass in behind. At that point, as Villa endured a six-game winless run, doubts remained whether his displays were a symptom or the reason for the side's more general malaise.
“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”
On Sunday, in contrast, the sideline response was far more favourable. As Rogers curled home his second to reclaim the lead for Villa, the Spanish tactician discarded his jacket, spread his arms and roared. The team marched on to a tenth straight victory and after failing to win their initial half-dozen matches, find themselves a mere three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.
Are They Legitimate Hopefuls?
That’s an exceptionally difficult query to address. The historical record, a general sense of Villa, suggests not. Moreover, they've rarely been wholly dominant this season, even as the wins have stacked up.
Per the data, on just two occasions has the side had an xG more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a team who have put together 10 in a row, the Villans seem curiously susceptible – however at the moment the tight outcomes are swinging for them.
The Reliant Strategy
The current approach appears to be to exchange chances with an opponent and wait for Rogers to bail them out with a couple of clinical strikes. This occurred away to Leeds, it occurred in London, and it happened against Manchester United.
The initial strike came from a brilliant finish, bent just inside the upright from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one as he seized on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.
“Much like Robben with his left, Rogers’ right foot has become a known threat that remains brutally unstoppable, regardless of anticipation.”
Is It Sustainable?
Logic says not. In the recent win, the opposition had a greater number of attempts and more shots on target. Villa have secured their last eight victories by a single goal. They have allowed goals in all except one of those games.
A statistical correction may well be the biggest rival Villa have to face over the coming weeks. Their key man, in all likelihood, will not continue to thrashing the ball past despairing goalkeepers forever.
A Case for Belief
Could it be another reality whereby, rather than luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs may yet rediscover their best form.
- The centre-forward may begin to finding the net regularly.
- The winger might become the player he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
- The defensive duo are due to return from injury, fortifying a periodically leaky defensive unit.
Maybe within that lies the possibility of a title challenge, yet it seems unlikely can persist in leaning entirely on a single individual.
Savoring the Moment
Yet, nobody expected this. Nobody thought the team would occupy in a Champions League place in December. And without a doubt earlier this season, few could imagine the young forward as the year closed would be leading a championship pursuit and appearing as a crucial Three Lions star.
This remarkable period must be cherished precisely because it appears so improbable. When the match-winner stood in front of the Villa faithful after the match orchestrating the applause, it was clear to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. These runs of form are rare in football and must be appreciated.
