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Just eight weeks ago when the Villa attacker found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, seeming perplexed as his coach scolded him over failing to anticipate a penetrating pass. At that point, with the team endured a six-game winless run, doubts remained whether Rogers' form were a symptom or a cause of the team's more general malaise.

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

In the latest match, though, the sideline response was decidedly more positive. After the in-form star swept in his second to reinstate Villa's lead, the boss tore off his jacket, spread his arms and bellowed. The team marched on to ten wins in a row and having failed to win their opening six fixtures, find themselves just three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Legitimate Title Contenders?

This is a rather hard question to answer. The historical record, a general sense of the club, argues against it. Furthermore, they have not been wholly dominant in many games, even as the wins have stacked up.

According to the data, on just two occasions has the team had an xG more than 0.5 greater than the other team. For a club that have just won 10 in a row, Villa appear curiously susceptible – however at the moment the margins are falling their way.

The Reliant Strategy

The prevailing tactic seems to be to trade blows with an opponent and wait for Rogers to rescue them with some precise efforts. It happened at Leeds, it happened at West Ham, and it happened when facing United.

The initial strike stemmed from a superb shot, arced just inside the goal frame from a wide position. His brace-completing goal was essentially a somewhat messier replica of the opener capitalizing on a pass from Watkins.

“Much like Robben with his left, Rogers’ right foot has become a known threat that remains brutally unstoppable, regardless of anticipation.”

Is It Sustainable?

Logic says not. In the recent win, the opponents registered more shots and more direct attempts. Villa have triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. The defence has been breached in nearly all of those games.

Regression to the mean could be the most significant challenge the club will encounter as the season progresses. Rogers, in all likelihood, cannot keep on thrashing his shots into the top corner indefinitely.

Reasons for Optimism

Maybe there exists a different scenario in which, rather than luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs might still rediscover their best form.

• The main striker may begin to adding to his goal tally.
• Jadon Sancho may rediscover the force he showed in Germany.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are due to return from injury, bolstering a periodically leaky defensive unit.

This could contain the possibility for a sustained push, however, it is improbable can continue to depend solely on one man.

Savoring the Moment

Yet, this was unforeseen. Nobody thought the team would be in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely earlier this season, nobody thought the midfielder as the year closed would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit while establishing himself as a vital England player.

The current run should be enjoyed for the very reason that it seems so surreal. As the match-winner positioned himself before the Villa faithful after the match orchestrating the applause, he seemed to be relishing every moment. A feeling he has rightly earned. These runs of form are rare in football and ought to be celebrated.