This Remarkable Rich Vein of Form Propels Aston Villa's Surprising Title Charge

It was two months prior that the young forward found himself on the pitch at Sunderland, looking confused as the Villa manager berated him over missing a through-ball. During that period, with the team endured a six-game winless run, it wasn't clear if his performances were an indicator or the reason of the side's wider issues.

In the latest match, however, the manager's outburst proved to be much more joyous. When the England international swept in his second to reclaim the lead for Villa, the boss tore off his coat, spread his arms and bellowed. The team marched on to a tenth straight victory , despite not winning any of their first six fixtures, find themselves only three points adrift of the leaders Arsenal.

Are They Serious Hopefuls?

That’s a rather hard query to resolve. History, a general sense of Villa, indicates otherwise. Moreover, they have not been entirely convincing during this run, while the victories have stacked up.

As per the data, in only two games has the team had an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than the other team. For a club that have strung together ten consecutive victories, Villa seem strangely fragile – however currently the fine lines are falling their way.

The Reliant Strategy

The prevailing tactic looks like to trade blows with an opponent and then rely on Rogers to bail them out with two precise efforts. It happened away to Leeds, it transpired in London, and again when facing the Red Devils.

Rogers' first goal stemmed from a superb shot, curled just inside the goal frame from a wide position. His brace-completing goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one capitalizing on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

Can It Last?

Reason suggests otherwise. In the recent win, the opponents had a greater number of attempts and more efforts on goal. The team has triumphed in eight consecutive games by a single goal. The defence has been breached in all except one of those matches.

A statistical correction may well be the greatest opponent Villa will encounter over the coming weeks. Their key man, almost certainly, cannot maintain drilling his shots into the top corner week in, week out.

Potential for Growth

Perhaps there is a different scenario whereby, rather than results trending towards performances, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Important figures could still rediscover their best form.

• The main striker may begin to scoring again.
• The winger may rediscover the performer he was during his peak.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will eventually return from injury, fortifying a sometimes shaky defensive unit.

This could contain the seeds for a sustained push, but they surely can continue to depend solely on a single individual.

Savoring the Moment

However, this was unforeseen. It seemed improbable Aston Villa would sit third at Christmas. And most definitely back in October, nobody thought Rogers as the year closed would be leading a championship pursuit and appearing as a vital Three Lions star.

This remarkable period should be enjoyed for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. When the hero faced the home supporters at the final whistle conducting the cheers, he appeared to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. These runs of form are uncommon in the sport and ought to be celebrated.