This Remarkable Scoring Streak Drives Aston Villa's Improbable Championship Bid

It was two months ago when the young forward found himself on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered while Unai Emery admonished him for missing a penetrating pass. At that point, with the team failed to win in six, it wasn't clear if his performances were a symptom or the reason of the team's wider issues.

On Sunday, however, the manager's outburst was far more favourable. As the England international swept in his second strike to restore his side's advantage, the boss ripped off his coat, threw his arms wide and bellowed. Villa were on their way to a tenth straight victory and having failed to win their opening six matches, find themselves just three points behind the leaders Arsenal.

Is This Team Legitimate Title Contenders?

It remains an exceptionally difficult proposition to resolve. The historical record, the perceived status of the club, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, their performances haven't been entirely convincing in many games, while the positive results have stacked up.

Per the data, twice all season has the team registered an expected goals figure notably superior than the opposition. For a club who have put together ten consecutive victories, Villa appear weirdly vulnerable – however at the moment the fine lines are swinging for them.

The Winning Formula

The prevailing tactic seems to be to engage in a shootout with an opponent before hoping their talisman to rescue them with a couple of precise efforts. This occurred against Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and again when facing the Red Devils.

The initial strike came from a superb shot, arced precisely inside the goal frame from the edge of the area. For his second proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of the opener as he seized on a setup by his strike partner.

Can It Last?

Common sense dictates no. During the latest victory, Manchester United registered more shots and more efforts on goal. Villa have secured their last eight victories by just one goal. The defence has been breached in all except one of those matches.

A statistical correction might be the most significant challenge they have to face in the near future. Rogers, in all likelihood, cannot maintain drilling the ball into the top corner indefinitely.

Reasons for Optimism

Maybe there exists another reality where, instead of results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs might still find their top level.

• The main striker could start scoring again.
• Jadon Sancho might become the performer he resembled in Germany.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are set to return from injury, strengthening an occasionally vulnerable backline.

This could contain the possibility of a title challenge, yet it seems unlikely can persist in leaning entirely on a single individual.

Enjoying the Ride

However, nobody expected this. Few believed Villa would be in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely two months ago, nobody thought the young forward now would be at the forefront of a championship pursuit while establishing himself as an essential Three Lions star.

This remarkable period is to be savoured precisely because it seems so surreal. As Rogers stood in front of the home supporters after the match leading the celebrations, he seemed to be relishing every moment. A feeling he has rightly earned. Such periods are uncommon in the sport and must be appreciated.