This Remarkable Scoring Streak Drives Villa's Surprising Championship Bid

It was 60 days prior that the Villa attacker was standing on the pitch at Sunderland, looking confused as the Villa manager scolded him for not reading a through-ball. At that point, as the club endured a six-game winless run, it wasn't clear whether his displays were a symptom or the source of Villa's broader struggles.

In the latest match, however, the sideline response proved to be decidedly more positive. As the in-form star swept in his second to reclaim Villa's lead, Emery discarded his jacket, spread his arms and roared. Villa were on their way to a tenth straight victory , after failing to win their initial half-dozen games, find themselves a mere three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Serious Challengers?

This is a particularly tough proposition to address. History, the traditional standing of the club, suggests not. Moreover, their performances haven't been wholly dominant during this run, even as the wins have piled up.

Per Opta, in only two games has the team posted an expected goals figure significantly higher than their opponents. For a team which has put together 10 in a row, Villa seem strangely fragile – yet right now the margins are going in their favour.

The Winning Formula

The prevailing tactic seems to be to trade blows with rivals and then rely on their talisman to rescue them with two crisp finishes. This occurred at Leeds, it occurred against West Ham, and again against Manchester United.

The initial strike stemmed from an exquisite effort, arced just inside the goal frame from a wide position. The follow-up goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of the opener as he seized on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

Can It Last?

Reason suggests otherwise. During the latest victory, the opponents had more efforts and more direct attempts. The team has won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. They have allowed goals in nearly all of those fixtures.

A reversion to average might be the greatest opponent the club will encounter in the near future. Rogers, almost certainly, cannot keep on thrashing his shots into the net's top corner forever.

Reasons for Optimism

Perhaps there is an alternative path whereby, instead of results trending towards performances, the level of play rises to match the results. Important figures could still rediscover their best form.

• The main striker may begin to scoring again.
• The attacking talent may rediscover the performer he resembled in Germany.
• The defensive duo will eventually regain fitness, fortifying an occasionally vulnerable backline.

Maybe within that lies the seeds for a sustained push, but they surely cannot keep relying on one man.

Savoring the Moment

But then, this was unforeseen. It seemed improbable the team would occupy third at Christmas. And certainly earlier this season, few could imagine the midfielder as the year closed would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit while establishing himself as a crucial player for the national team.

This winning streak must be cherished precisely because it appears so improbable. As Rogers faced the Villa faithful at the final whistle conducting the cheers, he appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it. As he deserves to. These runs of form are rare in football and should be relished.