🔗 Share this article

A mere two months prior when Morgan Rogers found himself on the Sunderland turf, looking confused while Unai Emery berated him over not reading a penetrating pass. Back then, as Villa failed to win in six, the question was if his displays were a sign or the reason for the team's more general malaise.

“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”

On Sunday, though, the sideline response was far more favourable. After the England international swept in his second strike to restore the lead for Villa, the boss discarded his winter coat, spread his arms and roared. Villa were on their way to a 10th successive win and despite not winning their initial half-dozen games, now sit only three points adrift of pace-setters Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Genuine Challengers?

This is an exceptionally difficult query to resolve. The historical record, the traditional standing of Villa, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, they've rarely been wholly dominant this season, despite the fact the wins have accumulated.

Per the data, on just two occasions has the team posted an xG notably superior than the other team. For a side who have just won 10 in a row, they seem weirdly vulnerable – but right now the tight outcomes are going in their favour.

The Reliant Strategy

The current approach appears to be to engage in a shootout with rivals and then rely on Rogers to rescue them with some precise efforts. It happened against Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and it happened against United.

Rogers' first goal stemmed from a brilliant finish, arced right inside the post from a wide position. The follow-up goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of his first capitalizing on a setup by his strike partner.

“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?

Common sense dictates no. Against United, the opponents had a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. The team has secured their last eight victories by a single goal. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those games.

A reversion to average could be the greatest opponent the club have to face in the near future. The forward, surely, cannot maintain blasting the ball into the top corner indefinitely.

Potential for Growth

Maybe there exists another reality in which, instead of luck running out, the level of play rises to match the results. Vital cogs might still rediscover their best form.

• The centre-forward might resume finding the net regularly.
• The winger may rediscover the force he resembled in Germany.
• The injured centre-backs are set to come back from the treatment room, bolstering a periodically leaky backline.

This could contain the seeds for a sustained push, however, it is improbable cannot keep relying on a single individual.

Enjoying the Ride

However, this is a surprise. Nobody thought Aston Villa would be in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely two months ago, no one envisioned the young forward by the end of the year would be at the forefront of a title charge while looking like a vital England player.

This winning streak is to be savoured precisely because it feels so unlikely. As the match-winner positioned himself before the Villa faithful at the final whistle leading the celebrations, it was clear to be loving the experience. Which he fully merits. Such periods do not happen often and should be relished.