🔗 Share this article

A mere two months ago that the young forward was standing on the pitch at Sunderland, seeming perplexed while his coach berated him for failing to anticipate a through-ball. Back then, as the club went six without a win, the question was if his displays were an indicator or a cause for Villa's more general malaise.

“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”

This weekend, however, the manager's outburst was entirely much more joyous. As Rogers swept in his second strike to restore his side's advantage, the boss tore off his jacket, spread his arms and roared. The team were on their way to ten wins in a row and after failing to win any of their first six games, are somehow just three points off pace-setters Arsenal.

Are They Serious Title Contenders?

This is a particularly tough proposition to answer. History, the traditional standing of Villa, suggests not. Additionally, they've rarely been completely commanding during this run, even as the positive results have stacked up.

As per statistical analysis, twice all season have Villa posted an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a club that have strung together a ten-match winning streak, the Villans look strangely fragile – however right now the fine lines are swinging for them.

The Winning Formula

The prevailing tactic appears to be to trade blows with an opponent and wait for Rogers to rescue them with some clinical strikes. This was the case away to Leeds, it occurred against West Ham, and again versus the Red Devils.

The initial strike stemmed from a brilliant finish, arced right inside the post from the edge of the area. For his second was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of the opener as he seized on a setup by his strike partner.

“Rogers’ right foot is now akin to Robben’s legendary left: forewarned does not mean forearmed, and stopping him is another matter entirely.”

Can It Last?

Common sense dictates no. In the recent win, the opposition registered a greater number of attempts and more efforts on goal. Villa have won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in all except one of those fixtures.

A statistical correction might be the most significant challenge they must confront as the season progresses. The forward, almost certainly, will not continue to thrashing his shots into the top corner forever.

Potential for Growth

Maybe there exists an alternative path in which, instead of results trending towards performances, the level of play rises to match the results. Key players could still find their top level.

• The main striker may begin to finding the net regularly.
• Jadon Sancho might become the player he showed at Borussia Dortmund.
• The defensive duo will eventually return from injury, fortifying a periodically leaky defensive unit.

Maybe within that lies the potential for a sustained push, however, it is improbable can continue to depend solely on one man.

Enjoying the Ride

However, this was unforeseen. Nobody thought Aston Villa would be in a Champions League place in December. And certainly back in October, few could imagine the midfielder by the end of the year would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title while looking like a vital Three Lions star.

The current run is to be savoured precisely because it appears so improbable. When Rogers faced the home supporters after the match conducting the cheers, it was clear to be relishing every moment. Which he fully merits. These spells are uncommon in the sport and ought to be celebrated.