It was eight weeks ago that the Villa attacker stood on the Stadium of Light pitch, looking confused as Unai Emery scolded him for failing to anticipate a penetrating pass. At that point, as Villa went six without a win, the question was if his displays were a sign or a cause of the side's broader struggles.
“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”
This weekend, though, the sideline response was far more favourable. As the England international drilled in his brace-sealing goal to restore the lead for Villa, Emery tore off his jacket, spread his arms and bellowed. The team continued to ten wins in a row , after failing to win their opening six matches, now sit just three points off table-toppers Arsenal.
Are They Genuine Title Contenders?
That’s a rather hard proposition to answer. History, a general sense of this institution, suggests not. Furthermore, they've rarely been entirely convincing during this run, even as the victories have piled up.
According to Opta, on just two occasions have Villa registered an expected goals figure notably superior than the opposition. For a club who have put together ten consecutive victories, the Villans seem weirdly vulnerable – but at the moment the fine lines are falling their way.
The Reliant Strategy
Their recent policy seems to be to engage in a shootout with an opponent and wait for their star man to rescue them with two precise efforts. This occurred against Leeds, it occurred in London, and again versus United.
The initial strike came from a superb shot, curled precisely inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. For his second proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of his first capitalizing on a pass from Watkins.
“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?
Common sense dictates no. Against United, Manchester United had more shots and more shots on target. Villa have triumphed in eight consecutive games by a single goal. The defence has been breached in all except one of those matches.
A reversion to average could be the most significant challenge the club must confront over the coming weeks. Their key man, surely, cannot maintain drilling the football into the top corner week in, week out.
Reasons for Optimism
Perhaps there is a different scenario where, instead of results trending towards performances, the level of play rises to match the results. Key players may yet find their top level.
- Ollie Watkins could start scoring again.
- The attacking talent might become the player he resembled during his peak.
- The defensive duo are due to return from injury, strengthening a periodically leaky backline.
This could contain the potential of a genuine bid, however, it is improbable can persist in leaning entirely on one man.
Savoring the Moment
But then, this was unforeseen. Nobody thought Aston Villa would sit in a Champions League place in December. And without a doubt back in October, no one envisioned the midfielder now would be spearheading a title charge and appearing as a vital player for the national team.
This winning streak should be enjoyed for the very reason that it appears so improbable. When the hero stood in front of the Villa faithful at the final whistle leading the celebrations, he appeared to be relishing every moment. A feeling he has rightly earned. Such periods are uncommon in the sport and should be relished.
