Analysis: Aston Villa show necessary grit on day free of fireworks

At first glance, a second successive 2-2 draw might appear a significant setback for a team still playing catch-up in the race at the top of the table.

In reality, it was very much a point gained, against a Stoke outfit who in bitterly cold conditions were able to freeze the firepower of Dean Smith’s men better than any recent opponents.

For more than 70 minutes, Villa laboured against the well-organised Potters and looked destined for a rare home defeat when Joe Allen fired the visitors ahead shortly after half-time.

But rather than fold, the hosts kept pushing, probing and eventually fought their way back into the game not once but twice, with substitute Jonathan Kodjia providing the spark and the goal to earn a point which may well prove a valuable one several months from now.

The result meant Villa lost ground on some of their rivals, yet gained on others, with the gap to the top six – their first target – now standing at just three points.

True, the deficit to Leeds, who replaced Norwich at the top, is now 12 points, though Villa will get the chance to make inroads into that when they host Marcelo Bielsa’s men on Sunday.

Most crucially, some momentum has been maintained heading towards that pivotal fixture, following an afternoon in which Villa, who badly missed the influence of the injured Jack Grealish, were simply forced to tough it out and take what they could get.

Kodjia was undoubtedly the hero. The form of Anwar El Ghazi had seen the striker demoted to the bench for the past three games but with the former finding the going tough, Kodjia got his chance and duly grasped it.

He was first hauled down by Erik Pieters to win the penalty from which Tammy Abraham rolled Villa level. Then, after former Wolves striker Benik Afobe had restored the visitors’ advantage from spot, it was Kodjia who arrived late at the far post to meet Yannick Bolasie’s cross and head home his sixth goal of the season.

His cameo was proof, if any were still needed, that few teams in the second tier possess quite so many attacking weapons as Villa.

Where they are currently short of options is in defence and it was this area of the pitch which again caused Smith the most frustration, with his team conceding two completely avoidable goals.

Alan Hutton, who moved to left-back in place of the injured Neil Taylor, was culpable for the first, losing possession to James McClean deep in his own half and allowing the former Albion man to cross for Allen to finish.

Stoke’s second, meanwhile, came courtesy of a rare rash decision from Ahmed Elmohamady, who brought down McClean in the box after being beaten for pace.

Sometimes, too, you simply have to give credit to the opponent. Stoke might not to this point have been the force many were predicting, but they remain a seriously tough nut to crack and are a long way from out of the promotion shake-up themselves.

In Allen, they possessed the best player on the pitch, with the Wales international generally getting the better of Villa’s livewire Scot, John McGinn.

The hosts were also undoubtedly hindered by the absence of Grealish. While the playmaker may no longer be the undisputed star of this team, his ability to link play had been a key part of their recent success.

Conor Hourihane, who on Saturday was pressed into a more attacking role, showed no shortage of endeavour but simply lacked the dynamism of his sidelined team-mate.

Smith will be hoping Grealish is well enough to return against Leeds, who enter Sunday’s showdown on a five-game winning run. The boss could also be boosted by the return of Albert Adomah, Henri Lansbury and Mile Jedinak from the treatment table to boost a bench which, against Stoke, had a rather youthful flavour.

Smith should reflect that, in a run of games billed as the toughest of the season, his team have so far taken 12 points from a possible 18, a more than creditable return.

After recent fireworks, Saturday was perhaps a reminder progress won’t always be spectacular.