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It was two months in the past when Morgan Rogers found himself on the Sunderland turf, seeming perplexed as the Villa manager scolded him over not reading a penetrating pass. At that point, with the team went six without a win, it wasn't clear if his performances were an indicator or the source for the side's broader struggles.

“Following Rogers' second strike… Emery discarded his jacket, extended his arms, and let out a triumphant roar.”

In the latest match, however, the manager's outburst was decidedly more positive. When Rogers drilled in his second strike to restore his side's advantage, Emery ripped off his winter coat, spread his arms and shouted in triumph. Villa marched on to ten wins in a row , after failing to win their initial half-dozen matches, find themselves a mere three points adrift of the leaders Arsenal.

Is This Team Legitimate Title Contenders?

This is a rather hard proposition to resolve. The historical record, the traditional standing of Villa, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, they have not been wholly dominant in many games, while the positive results have stacked up.

As per Opta, in only two games has the side registered an expected goals figure notably superior than the opposition. For a team that have put together ten consecutive victories, they seem weirdly vulnerable – but currently the fine lines are swinging for them.

The Reliant Strategy

The current approach looks like to engage in a shootout with rivals and wait for Rogers to rescue them with a couple of clinical strikes. This was the case at Leeds, it transpired in London, and again against the Red Devils.

The initial strike stemmed from a brilliant finish, bent right inside the upright from the corner of the box. His brace-completing goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one capitalizing on a setup by his strike partner.

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

Can It Last?

Common sense dictates no. In the recent win, the opposition registered more efforts and more efforts on goal. They have triumphed in eight consecutive games by the narrowest of margins. They’ve conceded in all but one of those games.

A reversion to average might be the greatest opponent Villa must confront as the season progresses. Their key man, almost certainly, will not continue to thrashing the ball past despairing goalkeepers week in, week out.

Potential for Growth

Maybe there exists an alternative path where, rather than outcomes regressing to match displays, performances begin to trend towards results. Key players might still return to peak condition.

• Ollie Watkins might resume scoring again.
• The attacking talent may rediscover the force he showed in Germany.
• The injured centre-backs are set to come back from the treatment room, fortifying an occasionally vulnerable defensive unit.

This could contain the seeds for a sustained push, however, it is improbable can persist in leaning entirely on a single individual.

Enjoying the Ride

But then, this was unforeseen. It seemed improbable the team would be in the top three for the holidays. And most definitely back in October, few could imagine the midfielder by the end of the year would be spearheading a title charge while looking like a vital player for the national team.

This winning streak should be enjoyed exactly since it seems so surreal. As the hero faced the home supporters after the match orchestrating the applause, he appeared to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. Such periods do not happen often and must be appreciated.