This Remarkable Golden Spell Propels Aston Villa's Improbable Title Charge

A mere eight weeks in the past when the Villa attacker found himself on the pitch at Sunderland, seeming perplexed while Unai Emery berated him over missing a through-ball. During that period, as the club endured a six-game winless run, it wasn't clear if Rogers' form were an indicator or a cause of the team's wider issues.

In the latest match, in contrast, the touchline reaction proved to be far more favourable. As Rogers drilled in his second to reinstate the lead for Villa, the Spanish tactician discarded his coat, spread his arms and shouted in triumph. The Birmingham club were on their way to ten wins in a row and having failed to win any of their first six games, now sit just three points behind pace-setters Arsenal.

Are They Serious Challengers?

It remains a particularly tough question to answer. The historical record, a general sense of the club, suggests not. Moreover, their performances haven't been entirely convincing during this run, while the wins have stacked up.

Per Opta, twice all season have Villa registered an xG notably superior than the opposition. For a club which has strung together ten consecutive victories, they seem weirdly vulnerable – however currently the tight outcomes are falling their way.

The Winning Formula

The prevailing tactic seems to be to engage in a shootout with an opponent and wait for their star man to save the day with two crisp finishes. This was the case away to Leeds, it occurred in London, and once more versus Manchester United.

Rogers' first goal came from a superb shot, arced just 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 a pass from Watkins.

How Long Can This Continue?

Common sense dictates no. During the latest victory, Manchester United registered a greater number of attempts and more shots on target. They have won each of their last eight by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in all except one of those matches.

Regression to the mean may well be the greatest opponent they must confront in the near future. The forward, surely, cannot maintain drilling the football into the top corner forever.

A Case for Belief

Maybe there exists a different scenario whereby, instead of outcomes regressing to match displays, the level of play rises to match the results. Important figures may yet rediscover their best form.

• Ollie Watkins may begin to finding the net regularly.
• The attacking talent could transform into the player he was in Germany.
• The injured centre-backs will eventually come back from the treatment room, fortifying an occasionally vulnerable defence.

Maybe within that lies the potential of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on a single individual.

Relishing the Unlikely

But then, this was unforeseen. Few believed Aston Villa would occupy in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely back in October, no one envisioned the midfielder as the year closed would be spearheading a hunt for the title and appearing as an essential player for the national team.

The current run must be cherished exactly since it appears so improbable. When the hero faced the Villa faithful at the final whistle orchestrating the applause, it was clear to be relishing every moment. A feeling he has rightly earned. These runs of form do not happen often and must be appreciated.