A mere eight weeks prior when the Villa attacker stood on the Stadium of Light pitch, seeming perplexed while his coach admonished him over failing to anticipate a penetrating pass. Back then, as the club endured a six-game winless run, the question was if his performances were an indicator or the reason for Villa's wider issues.
“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”
On Sunday, though, the touchline reaction was decidedly more positive. After the England international drilled in his second strike to restore his side's advantage, the Spanish tactician discarded his coat, spread his arms and bellowed. The team were on their way to ten wins in a row and after failing to win their initial half-dozen games, find themselves only three points off the leaders Arsenal.
Is This Team Legitimate Title Contenders?
This is an exceptionally difficult proposition to address. History, a general sense of Villa, argues against it. Furthermore, they have not been wholly dominant during this run, while the wins have accumulated.
According to the data, in only two games has the team registered an xG significantly higher than the other team. For a club who have just won a ten-match winning streak, the Villans seem curiously susceptible – yet at the moment the fine lines are going in their favour.
The Winning Formula
The prevailing tactic appears to be to trade blows with rivals and then rely on their talisman to rescue them with two precise efforts. It happened against Leeds, it occurred in London, and it happened when facing the Red Devils.
The initial strike stemmed from a superb shot, arced just inside the upright from the edge of the area. For his second was essentially a somewhat messier replica of goal number one as he seized 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?
Logic says not. In the recent win, the opposition had more efforts and more direct attempts. Villa have triumphed in eight consecutive games by a single goal. They’ve conceded in all but one of those matches.
A statistical correction may well be the greatest opponent they have to face over the coming weeks. Rogers, in all likelihood, cannot maintain blasting the ball past despairing goalkeepers week in, week out.
A Case for Belief
Could it be a different scenario whereby, rather than results trending towards performances, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Key players could still find their top level.
- The main striker could start adding to his goal tally.
- The attacking talent could transform into the player he showed at Borussia Dortmund.
- The defensive duo are set to regain fitness, bolstering a periodically leaky backline.
This could contain the possibility of a genuine bid, but they surely can continue to depend solely on one man.
Enjoying the Ride
However, this is a surprise. It seemed improbable Villa would occupy in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely two months ago, nobody thought the midfielder as the year closed would be leading a title charge while looking like an essential England player.
This winning streak is to be savoured precisely because it feels so unlikely. As the hero positioned himself before the Villa faithful when the game ended conducting the cheers, he appeared to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. These runs of form are rare in football and should be relished.
