A mere eight weeks in the past when the young forward found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered while the Villa manager admonished him over not reading a pass in behind. During that period, as Villa went six without a win, the question was if his displays were a symptom or the source of the side's wider issues.
“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”
On Sunday, in contrast, the touchline reaction was much more joyous. When Rogers swept in his brace-sealing goal to reclaim Villa's lead, the Spanish tactician tore off his jacket, threw his arms wide and bellowed. The team continued to ten wins in a row and having failed to win any of their first six matches, find themselves a mere three points adrift of the leaders Arsenal.
Is Aston Villa Legitimate Title Contenders?
This is a particularly tough query to answer. Past precedent, a general sense of the club, suggests not. Additionally, their performances haven't been entirely convincing in many games, while the victories have piled up.
Per the data, on just two occasions has the team registered an xG notably superior than the other team. For a side that have put together ten consecutive victories, the Villans appear strangely fragile – but right now the fine lines are falling their way.
The Rogers Recipe
The current approach seems to be to trade blows with rivals and then rely on their talisman to rescue them with some crisp finishes. This was the case at Leeds, it transpired in London, and again versus the Red Devils.
Rogers' first goal stemmed from a superb shot, curled right inside the goal frame from the corner of the box. His brace-completing goal proved to be a slight scruffier version of goal number one as he pounced 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?
Reason suggests otherwise. Against United, Manchester United registered more efforts and more efforts on goal. Villa have secured their last eight victories by a single goal. The defence has been breached in all except one of those games.
Regression to the mean might be the most significant challenge they have to face over the coming weeks. Rogers, in all likelihood, cannot keep on thrashing his shots past despairing goalkeepers week in, week out.
Potential for Growth
Could it be an alternative path in which, rather than luck running out, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Vital cogs might still find their top level.
- Ollie Watkins may begin to finding the net regularly.
- The winger might become the player he was in Germany.
- Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will eventually regain fitness, fortifying a periodically leaky defensive unit.
This could contain the seeds of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely can persist in leaning entirely on a single individual.
Relishing the Unlikely
Yet, this was unforeseen. It seemed improbable Aston Villa would be third at Christmas. And without a doubt earlier this season, nobody thought the midfielder by the end of the year would be spearheading a hunt for the title while looking like a crucial player for the national team.
This remarkable period is to be savoured exactly since it feels so unlikely. As Rogers faced the North End after the match orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. Which he fully merits. These spells are rare in football and must be appreciated.
