The Astonishing Rich Vein of Form Fuels The Villans' Unlikely Championship Bid

It was eight weeks prior that Morgan Rogers found himself on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered as Unai Emery berated him for failing to anticipate a penetrating pass. At that point, as Villa failed to win in six, doubts remained whether Rogers' form were a symptom or a cause of Villa's more general malaise.

On Sunday, in contrast, the sideline response was entirely much more joyous. After Rogers curled home his brace-sealing goal to reclaim his side's advantage, the boss discarded his jacket, opened his arms and bellowed. The team were on their way to a 10th successive win and despite not winning any of their first six fixtures, find themselves only three points behind the leaders Arsenal.

Are They Genuine Hopefuls?

That’s a rather hard question to resolve. The historical record, the traditional standing of this institution, argues against it. Furthermore, their performances haven't been entirely convincing this season, despite the fact the victories have accumulated.

Per statistical analysis, on just two occasions has the side registered an expected goals figure notably superior than the opposition. For a side which has put together a ten-match winning streak, Villa look curiously susceptible – yet currently the margins are going in their favour.

The Reliant Strategy

Their recent policy appears to be to exchange chances with an opponent before hoping Rogers to save the day with some clinical strikes. This was the case against Leeds, it occurred in London, and again versus Manchester United.

His opener originated from an exquisite effort, bent right inside the upright from the corner of the box. The follow-up goal proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of his first capitalizing on a pass from Watkins.

How Long Can This Continue?

Logic says not. Against United, the opponents registered a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. They have triumphed in eight consecutive games by just one goal. They have allowed goals in nearly all of those fixtures.

A statistical correction might be the biggest rival they have to face as the season progresses. The forward, almost certainly, cannot maintain drilling his shots into the net's top corner forever.

Reasons for Optimism

Perhaps there is another reality whereby, instead of luck running out, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Vital cogs may yet find their top level.

• The centre-forward could start scoring again.
• The winger might become the player he was in Germany.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are set to come back from the treatment room, fortifying a periodically leaky defensive unit.

Maybe within that lies the potential of a genuine bid, however, it is improbable can persist in leaning entirely on a single individual.

Enjoying the Ride

But then, nobody expected this. It seemed improbable Aston Villa would sit in a Champions League place in December. And certainly back in October, few could imagine Rogers by the end of the year would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title while establishing himself as an essential player for the national team.

The current run is to be savoured exactly since it feels so unlikely. When Rogers positioned himself before the North End at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, he seemed to be relishing every moment. Which he fully merits. These spells are rare in football and should be relished.