This Remarkable Golden Spell Propels Aston Villa's Surprising Championship Bid

A mere eight weeks prior that the Villa attacker was standing on the Sunderland turf, seeming perplexed as the Villa manager scolded him over missing a through-ball. Back then, with the team failed to win in six, doubts remained whether his displays were a symptom or a cause of the team's wider issues.

In the latest match, in contrast, the manager's outburst was decidedly more positive. After Rogers drilled in his second to reclaim the lead for Villa, the boss ripped off his jacket, opened his arms and shouted in triumph. The Birmingham club were on their way to ten wins in a row , after failing to win their initial half-dozen games, now sit a mere three points off pace-setters Arsenal.

Is This Team Legitimate Challengers?

This is a rather hard question to address. The historical record, a general sense of the club, suggests not. Additionally, their performances haven't been completely commanding in many games, despite the fact the wins have piled up.

As per Opta, on just two occasions has the side registered an xG significantly higher than the other team. For a club who have strung together 10 in a row, they appear weirdly vulnerable – however right now the tight outcomes are falling their way.

The Rogers Recipe

The current approach appears to be to trade blows with rivals and then rely on their talisman to bail them out with some clinical strikes. This was the case away to Leeds, it transpired against West Ham, and once more against Manchester United.

Rogers' first goal originated from a superb shot, bent right inside the goal frame from the corner of the box. For his second proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of the opener capitalizing on a setup by his strike partner.

How Long Can This Continue?

Logic says not. During the latest victory, the opponents managed more efforts and more efforts on goal. Villa have secured their last eight victories by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in all but one of those matches.

A statistical correction could be the greatest opponent Villa will encounter over the coming weeks. The forward, almost certainly, will not continue to thrashing the ball into the net's top corner indefinitely.

Reasons for Optimism

Perhaps there is another reality where, instead of luck running out, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Vital cogs could still find their top level.

• The main striker could start scoring again.
• The winger could transform into the force he was at Borussia Dortmund.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will eventually return from injury, fortifying a periodically leaky backline.

This could contain the seeds for a sustained push, however, it is improbable can continue to depend solely on a single individual.

Savoring the Moment

Yet, this is a surprise. It seemed improbable Villa would occupy third at Christmas. And certainly two months ago, no one envisioned the midfielder now would be spearheading a championship pursuit and appearing as a vital player for the national team.

This remarkable period is to be savoured precisely because it feels so unlikely. When Rogers faced the Villa faithful at the final whistle leading the celebrations, he seemed to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. These spells do not happen often and should be relished.