Just ten games. That is all Tim Sherwood has needed to bring Aston Villa out from the morgue and into life. Rigor mortis was setting in when he took over the club, but now the muscles are being flexed. An FA Cup final awaits.

There have been mistakes, notably in defeats to Stoke City and Swansea, but five glorious wins and a brand of football to excite and embolden far outweighs them.

Having been appointed on Valentine’s Day, Villa fans have fallen in love after only nine weeks.

Here, Sportsmail looks at five reasons for Sherwood’s success.

Tim Sherwood has had an inspired start in charge of Aston Villa as they reached the FA Cup final

Benteke's back

Upon arrival, Sherwood recognised the area he needed to target instantly: goals. Hardly rocket science but launching Villa’s scoring figures skywards was easier said than done.

Straightaway as manager he had a sit down in his office with Christian Benteke where he told the Belgian striker: ‘Two years ago, every club in Europe wanted you.’ The point being to re-inject confidence in this quiet character. Benteke is determined but responds well to arm-round-shoulder words.

At the end of his reign, Paul Lambert tried stick to inspire Benteke’s best, dropping him for the visit of Chelsea. Benteke understood, but was nevertheless frustrated. He felt starved of service in Lambert’s safety-first style.

Christian Benteke has flourished under Sherwood and has scored nine in his last seven for Villa

Sherwood addressed this immediately. During half-time in the FA Cup match against Leicester – the day before his unveiling – he entered the dressing room and told his players to get the ball to Benteke more often, and quicker. Villa scored two second half goals to progress.

Benteke has now got nine in his last seven for Villa, having scored three in 18 under Lambert this season. There is variety, pace, and creativity in the final third and Villa have already surpassed under Sherwood the total goals managed with Lambert at the helm this season: 16 goals in 10 games, compared to 15 in 28.

The Belgian international fires home the equaliser at Wembley as he helped Villa conquer Liverpool

Trust in youth

For around an hour after carrying out media duties on Friday, Sherwood stood to watch Villa’s Under-11s squad as they trained at Bodymoor Heath. The man for whom youth development is so important was able to find time on the eve of his biggest managerial test to observe a crop of potential talents who will only be senior players many years down the line.

That kind of commitment breeds belief across the training pitches. His faith in Jack Grealish is the biggest illustration of his philosophy, but he also handed Rushian Hepburn-Murphy his debut as a substitute at Aston Villa aged 16.

Since Sherwood’s arrival, the under-21s have been moved to train on pitches adjacent to the first-team and a number regularly join in with sessions when 11 v 11, Kevin Toner and Lewis Kinsella among them.

Jack Grealish was the star man against Brendan Rodgers' side and has earned rave reviews under Sherwood

Sherwood attended the City Ground last Wednesday to witness 22-year-old Gary Gardner, on loan at Nottingham Forest from Villa, score a brilliant free-kick.

The night previous he was at Rochdale v Swindon to possibly run the rule over Massimo Luongo, also 22, his under-21 captain when at Tottenham.

Such an approach is with eyes on building the club over the coming months and years but short-term it has served to bring renewed energy.

The former Tottenham boss is keen on youth development and watched on-loan Gary Gardner score

Delph delivering

Fabian Delph signed his new contract at Villa before Sherwood arrived – it was actually announced on the big screens at Villa Park ahead of the FA Cup clash with Bournemouth – but the 25-year-old has since been handed key responsibilities.

The England midfielder, described as Villa’s Hoover by Sherwood, was given the captain’s armband permanently, taking over from Ron Vlaar and leapfrogging deputy Gabby Agbonlahor, based on his mentality and exuberant grit in midfield. He has led by example, turning in performances that make him a certainty for Roy Hodgson.

Fabian Delph is arguably Villa's most important player and he's become a real leader under new management

Sherwood has asked for more forward movement too, and offensive involvement. Delph’s ability to drive past players – exhibited for both goals at Wembley – was compared to Paul Gascoigne by Sherwood and the Bradford-born player has responded to that acclaim. He has two goals under Sherwood after not finding the net once this season for Lambert.

‘When I came to the club Fabian Delph had just signed a new contract, he had an opportunity to go to some of the teams in the top four. He showed a lot of loyalty,’ says Sherwood. ‘I need characters like that, put themselves on the line. He can add goals to his game, he has so much energy he can get into the final third and score. He’s nicked a couple for me already. I just want to encourage him to do that and then he’ll be too expensive for anyone to buy.’

The England international scored the winner at Wembley to send his side into the FA Cup Final in May

Sound staff moves

Sherwood acted swiftly in the backroom department too, bringing in Mark Robson as first-team coach, and Seamus Brady as performance analyst before his first official game in charge. He knows these guys from working at Tottenham and values their input.

Tony Parks, former goalkeeping coach at Spurs, arrived in the days after the loss to Stoke, curtailing a move to Norwich to join up with a manager he respects greatly. Parks is a trusted friend and vocal presence on the touchline, the one who bear-hugged Sherwood from behind, lifting him off his feet, when Benteke rolled in the stoppage time penalty to beat West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League.

As assistant Sherwood made a smart move, offering Kevin McDonald the chance to renew his Villa relationship. The 54-year-old was the club’s hugely successful reserve team boss and has developed younger players during a 17-year association that ended during the early days of Lambert's reign in June 2012. He was also caretaker manager after Martin O’Neill left and nearly got the job permanently. ‘I wanted someone who knew the fabric of the club,’ says Sherwood.

Tony Parks (left centre) was one of many new staff members brought in to help save Villa from relegation

Stiliyan Petrov has also been into the dressing room to offer words of advice, although he is yet to formalise any coaching arrangement.

Training is sharp and intense, largely tailored to replicate matchdays and goal-scoring situations.

Inspiring confidence

Sherwood said after the victory over Liverpool that the players believed they would win and the fans did too, suggesting many had already booked their hotels for the final on May 30.

It is clear confidence is coursing through this Villa team now, the shackles not being so much thrown off as plunged to the bottom of the ocean to collect rust.

The 46-year-old has added a new found confidence to his sides game and is reaping the benefits

Sherwood divides opinion with his outspoken comments but from within the club such positivity has spread to form a confident collective unit.

'He sits and he chats to people. He treats people like men,’ says Parks. ‘The guys have responded to that – sitting them down, treating them with respect, letting them know when they’re playing well, letting them know when they’re not playing so well.