This Remarkable Golden Spell Drives Villa's Improbable Push for Glory

It was two months in the past when the young forward stood on the Stadium of Light pitch, looking confused as his coach berated him over missing a through-ball. During that period, with the team went six without a win, it wasn't clear if his displays were an indicator or a cause of Villa's wider issues.

On Sunday, in contrast, the sideline response proved to be far more favourable. After the in-form star curled home his second to reclaim the lead for Villa, Emery tore off his winter coat, opened his arms and roared. The team marched on to a tenth straight victory , having failed to win any of their first six games, find themselves a mere three points behind the leaders Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Serious Hopefuls?

This is an exceptionally difficult query to resolve. History, a general sense of Villa, argues against it. Additionally, they have not been entirely convincing this season, despite the fact the wins have accumulated.

As per Opta, on just two occasions has the side registered an xG more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a team that have just won ten consecutive victories, the Villans seem strangely fragile – yet currently the fine lines are going in their favour.

The Rogers Recipe

The prevailing tactic appears to be to trade blows with the opposition before hoping their star man to save the day with some crisp finishes. This was the case against Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and it happened versus Manchester United.

Rogers' first goal stemmed from a superb shot, arced just inside the upright from a wide position. The follow-up goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one as he seized on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

How Long Can This Continue?

Reason suggests otherwise. In the recent win, the opposition managed more efforts and more shots on target. Villa have triumphed in eight consecutive games by just one goal. The defence has been breached in nearly all of those fixtures.

A reversion to average may well be the greatest opponent they must confront as the season progresses. Rogers, in all likelihood, cannot maintain blasting his shots into the net's top corner forever.

Reasons for Optimism

Maybe there exists a different scenario whereby, instead of luck running out, the level of play rises to match the results. Key players might still return to peak condition.

• The centre-forward may begin to adding to his goal tally.
• The attacking talent could transform into the player he resembled during his peak.
• The defensive duo are due to return from injury, fortifying an occasionally vulnerable backline.

Perhaps there is in that the potential of a genuine bid, but they surely can continue to depend solely on a single individual.

Enjoying the Ride

However, nobody expected this. Few believed the team would be in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely earlier this season, no one envisioned the young forward now would be leading a hunt for the title and appearing as a crucial Three Lions star.

This remarkable period must be cherished for the very reason that it appears so improbable. As Rogers stood in front of the home supporters when the game ended leading the celebrations, he seemed to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. These spells are uncommon in the sport and ought to be celebrated.