🔗 Share this article

It was two months prior that Morgan Rogers was standing on the Sunderland turf, looking confused while his coach admonished him for missing a through-ball. During that period, with the team went six without a win, the question was if Rogers' form were an indicator or a cause for Villa's broader struggles.

“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”

On Sunday, though, the sideline response proved to be much more joyous. As Rogers drilled in his second strike to restore the lead for Villa, the Spanish tactician tore off his coat, spread his arms and shouted in triumph. The team marched on to a tenth straight victory and after failing to win any of their first six games, are somehow just three points adrift of the leaders Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Genuine Challengers?

That’s an exceptionally difficult proposition to address. Past precedent, a general sense of the club, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, they have not been completely commanding this season, despite the fact the victories have piled up.

Per Opta, twice all season have Villa posted an expected goals figure more than 0.5 greater than their opponents. For a club who have just won ten consecutive victories, the Villans appear strangely fragile – however at the moment the margins are falling their way.

The Reliant Strategy

Their recent policy looks like to exchange chances with an opponent and then rely on their talisman to save the day with some clinical strikes. It happened at Leeds, it happened at West Ham, and again when facing the Red Devils.

The initial strike originated from a superb shot, arced precisely inside the upright from the edge of the area. For his second acted as a somewhat messier replica of his first capitalizing on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

“Rogers’ right foot is now akin to Robben’s legendary left: forewarned does not mean forearmed, and stopping him is another matter entirely.”

Is It Sustainable?

Common sense dictates no. In the recent win, the opposition had more shots and more efforts on goal. Villa have secured their last eight victories by a single goal. They’ve conceded in all but one of those fixtures.

A reversion to average may well be the biggest rival they must confront in the near future. Their key man, almost certainly, cannot keep on blasting the football into the net's top corner forever.

A Case for Belief

Perhaps there is an alternative path where, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Vital cogs could still rediscover their best form.

• The centre-forward might resume finding the net regularly.
• Jadon Sancho could transform into the force he showed at Borussia Dortmund.
• The defensive duo are due to regain fitness, bolstering an occasionally vulnerable backline.

This could contain the potential of a title challenge, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on one man.

Enjoying the Ride

But then, this is a surprise. It seemed improbable the team would be in the top three for the holidays. And certainly two months ago, no one envisioned the young forward as the year closed would be at the forefront of a title charge and appearing as an essential Three Lions star.

This winning streak must be cherished precisely because it seems so surreal. When the match-winner positioned himself before the North End at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, he seemed to be relishing every moment. Which he fully merits. Such periods do not happen often and should be relished.