This Remarkable Rich Vein of Form Propels Villa's Unlikely Championship Bid

It was 60 days in the past that Morgan Rogers stood on the pitch at Sunderland, seeming perplexed while his coach scolded him over missing a penetrating pass. During that period, as the club went six without a win, doubts remained if his displays were a sign or the reason of the side's broader struggles.

On Sunday, though, the manager's outburst was far more favourable. After the England international drilled in his brace-sealing goal to restore his side's advantage, Emery ripped off his coat, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. Villa continued to ten wins in a row , having failed to win their initial half-dozen games, find themselves only three points off the leaders Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Genuine Challengers?

That’s a particularly tough proposition to answer. History, a general sense of Villa, indicates otherwise. Moreover, they have not been wholly dominant in many games, despite the fact the victories have accumulated.

As per Opta, on just two occasions has the side registered an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a club which has just won 10 in a row, they appear curiously susceptible – however currently the fine lines are going in their favour.

The Winning Formula

The prevailing tactic appears to be to trade blows with rivals before hoping Rogers to bail them out with two precise efforts. This was the case against Leeds, it happened in London, and again against Manchester United.

The initial strike originated from a brilliant finish, curled precisely inside the post from the corner of the box. The follow-up goal acted as a slightly less clean iteration of his first capitalizing on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

Is It Sustainable?

Logic says not. In the recent win, the opponents managed a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. The team has secured their last eight victories by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in nearly all of those fixtures.

Regression to the mean might be the greatest opponent the club must confront over the coming weeks. Their key man, in all likelihood, cannot maintain thrashing the football into the top corner indefinitely.

Reasons for Optimism

Could it be an alternative path whereby, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players might still rediscover their best form.

• Ollie Watkins might resume adding to his goal tally.
• The attacking talent could transform into the performer he resembled in Germany.
• The injured centre-backs are set to regain fitness, bolstering a sometimes shaky backline.

This could contain the possibility of a genuine bid, but they surely can persist in leaning entirely on a single individual.

Relishing the Unlikely

However, this is a surprise. Nobody thought the team would occupy in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely back in October, nobody thought the midfielder by the end of the year would be leading a championship pursuit while looking like a crucial player for the national team.

This winning streak must be cherished for the very reason that it appears so improbable. When the hero faced the home supporters after the match conducting the cheers, he seemed to be relishing every moment. A feeling he has rightly earned. Such periods do not happen often and should be relished.