🔗 Share this article

A mere eight weeks in the past that the Villa attacker stood on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered while the Villa manager scolded him over not reading a through-ball. At that point, as Villa went six without a win, it wasn't clear if his performances were a symptom or a cause for Villa's more general malaise.

“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”

In the latest match, in contrast, the sideline response proved to be much more joyous. When Rogers swept in his second strike to reinstate the lead for Villa, the boss tore off his jacket, spread his arms and roared. The Birmingham club continued to a tenth straight victory , having failed to win their initial half-dozen games, find themselves just three points off table-toppers Arsenal.

Are They Legitimate Title Contenders?

It remains a particularly tough proposition to address. The historical record, the perceived status of this institution, argues against it. Furthermore, they have not been entirely convincing this season, even as the positive results have stacked up.

Per Opta, in only two games has the side registered an expected goals figure significantly higher than the opposition. For a side who have strung together a ten-match winning streak, the Villans appear weirdly vulnerable – yet currently the tight outcomes are going in their favour.

The Rogers Recipe

The current approach looks like to trade blows with an opponent before hoping their star man to rescue them with two precise efforts. It happened away to Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and again against United.

Rogers' first goal stemmed from a superb shot, bent right inside the post from a wide position. His brace-completing goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration of the opener as he seized on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

“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.”

Is It Sustainable?

Reason suggests otherwise. Against United, the opponents registered more shots and more shots on target. Villa have triumphed in eight consecutive games by a single goal. They’ve conceded in all but one of those fixtures.

A statistical correction might be the greatest opponent the club will encounter in the near future. Rogers, almost certainly, cannot keep on thrashing the ball into the top corner indefinitely.

Potential for Growth

Could it be a different scenario where, instead of results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs might still find their top level.

• The main striker may begin to adding to his goal tally.
• The winger might become the performer he showed during his peak.
• The injured centre-backs will eventually come back from the treatment room, bolstering a periodically leaky backline.

This could contain the seeds of a genuine bid, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on a single individual.

Enjoying the Ride

But then, nobody expected this. Nobody thought Aston Villa would sit third at Christmas. And most definitely two months ago, no one envisioned the young forward now would be leading a hunt for the title while establishing himself as a vital Three Lions star.

This remarkable period should be enjoyed precisely because it feels so unlikely. As the hero positioned himself before the home supporters when the game ended orchestrating the applause, he seemed to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. These runs of form do not happen often and should be relished.