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It was eight weeks prior that the Villa attacker found himself on the pitch at Sunderland, appearing bewildered as the Villa manager berated him over missing a pass in behind. Back then, as the club failed to win in six, doubts remained if his displays were a symptom or the source for Villa's more general malaise.

“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”

On Sunday, in contrast, the touchline reaction was much more joyous. As the England international curled home his brace-sealing goal to reinstate his side's advantage, Emery ripped off his winter coat, spread his arms and roared. The team marched on to a 10th successive win , having failed to win any of their first six fixtures, now sit just three points off table-toppers Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Genuine Title Contenders?

That’s a particularly tough proposition to answer. The historical record, a general sense of Villa, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, they have not been wholly dominant during this run, even as the victories have stacked up.

As per the data, on just two occasions have Villa had an xG notably superior than the other team. For a side who have strung together a ten-match winning streak, they appear weirdly vulnerable – however currently the fine lines are falling their way.

The Reliant Strategy

The prevailing tactic looks like to engage in a shootout with the opposition before hoping their talisman to save the day with a couple of clinical strikes. This was the case against Leeds, it transpired at West Ham, and it happened when facing Manchester United.

Rogers' first goal came from a brilliant finish, arced right inside the goal frame from the corner of the box. The follow-up goal proved to be a slightly less clean iteration of his first capitalizing on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

“Much like Robben with his left, Rogers’ right foot has become a known threat that remains brutally unstoppable, regardless of anticipation.”

Is It Sustainable?

Reason suggests otherwise. During the latest victory, the opponents registered more shots and more efforts on goal. The team has won each of their last eight by just one goal. They’ve conceded in all except one of those matches.

A reversion to average could be the biggest rival Villa must confront as the season progresses. The forward, almost certainly, will not continue to thrashing the football into the top corner week in, week out.

Reasons for Optimism

Maybe there exists a different scenario whereby, instead of results trending towards performances, the level of play rises to match the results. Important figures could still find their top level.

• The main striker could start scoring again.
• The winger might become the player he resembled during his peak.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will eventually return from injury, strengthening a sometimes shaky defence.

This could contain the possibility of a genuine bid, yet it seems unlikely can continue to depend solely on a single individual.

Enjoying the Ride

But then, this is a surprise. It seemed improbable the team would be in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely earlier this season, no one envisioned Rogers by the end of the year would be spearheading a title charge while looking like a crucial player for the national team.

This winning streak should be enjoyed for the very reason that it appears so improbable. When the hero positioned himself before the North End after the match leading the celebrations, he seemed to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. Such periods do not happen often and ought to be celebrated.