The Astonishing Rich Vein of Form Drives The Villans' Improbable Championship Bid

It was two months ago that the Villa attacker found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered while the Villa manager admonished him for not reading a pass in behind. During that period, as the club failed to win in six, it wasn't clear if his performances were a symptom or a cause for Villa's wider issues.

This weekend, though, the manager's outburst was entirely decidedly more positive. As Rogers swept in his second strike to reclaim the lead for Villa, Emery ripped off his coat, threw his arms wide and bellowed. The team marched on to a 10th successive win , after failing to win their initial half-dozen games, now sit a mere three points off the leaders Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Genuine Challengers?

That’s a particularly tough query to address. Past precedent, a general sense of this institution, indicates otherwise. Additionally, they've rarely been completely commanding this season, while the positive results have accumulated.

According to Opta, in only two games has the team registered an expected goals figure notably superior than the opposition. For a team which has strung together 10 in a row, the Villans look strangely fragile – however at the moment the margins are going in their favour.

The Winning Formula

Their recent policy appears to be to trade blows with the opposition and wait for their talisman to rescue them with a couple of crisp finishes. This was the case at Leeds, it occurred in London, and once more when facing the Red Devils.

The initial strike stemmed from a superb shot, curled just inside the upright from the edge of the area. For his second was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one capitalizing on a setup by his strike partner.

Is It Sustainable?

Common sense dictates no. Against United, Manchester United had more efforts and more direct attempts. They have won each of their last eight by a single goal. They’ve conceded in all except one of those games.

A statistical correction may well be the biggest rival they will encounter as the season progresses. The forward, surely, cannot maintain drilling the ball into the top corner week in, week out.

Potential for Growth

Maybe there exists another reality where, rather than luck running out, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Vital cogs might still find their top level.

• Ollie Watkins may begin to scoring again.
• The attacking talent could transform into the player he was in Germany.
• The injured centre-backs will eventually come back from the treatment room, strengthening a periodically leaky backline.

This could contain the possibility of a title challenge, but they surely cannot keep relying on one man.

Savoring the Moment

However, this was unforeseen. It seemed improbable the team would be in the top three for the holidays. And certainly two months ago, few could imagine the midfielder as the year closed would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit while establishing himself as a vital Three Lions star.

This remarkable period must be cherished for the very reason that it feels so unlikely. As the match-winner positioned himself before the Villa faithful when the game ended conducting the cheers, he appeared to be loving the experience. As he deserves to. These runs of form do not happen often and ought to be celebrated.