One might’ve thought a visit from Prince William, resplendent in a Villa parka and scarf, could spur Villa to a moment of relative glory and a rare home win, but although the side finished on the front foot and perhaps looked the most likely to snatch all three points late, it wasn’t to be, and Villa deadlocked with Sunderland 0-0 at Villa Park.

All told, it was a lively first half, fairly wide open with both sides going for goal. Villa led attempts on goal by 7-5, and 2-0 on target. Giaccherini missed a golden opportunity for Poyet’s Sunderland on 44 minutes with Guzan doing just enough to put him off and send his close-range attempt over the bar.

At the other end, an on-form Benteke might’ve done better when he curled one outside the top far corner of goal, but it was good to at least see him with an attempt of the sort we got so used to seeing last season.

Fabian Delph and Atonio Luna were both back in the side, as were Gabriel Agbonlahor and Andreas Weimann, with Ciaran Clark favored to partner Ron Vlaar, and Leandro Bacuna once again starting at right back. Delph’s reintroduction to the side provided much more drive and intent in midfield, and he sliced a half-decent opportunity outside the far post. Luna provided the width on the left that had been lacking in his absence.

Gabby and Weimann, for their part, took up their familiar roles, though Andi seemed more withdrawn with Gabby primarily partnering Benteke, and lent Villa a touch more menace up front without any real end product to show for it.

But once again, Villa, though moving it more quickly, were still a bit profligate in possession, the ball not really sticking to anyone’s feet.

Sunderland finished the half a bit more on the front foot with a couple of late corners, but, apart from the Gardner shot on 41 minutes that ended up in the back of the net to be called back for offside, they didn’t offer a lot of threat from open play. Mainly long, searching balls from breaks that failed to really catch Villa out at the back.

The second half started a bit better from Villa, with Benteke dropping deep to put Gabby in on goal, but the chance came to nothing when Gabby hesitated and took an extra touch. Villa got a let-off when Borini put it against the crossbar on a cracking header from wide left. Then in the 70th minute Andi made way for Mark Albrighton, and Karim El Ahmadi made way for Aleskander Tonev. Of the two, Albrighton made the bigger impression.

Perhaps more notably, Libor Kozak came on for Benteke in the 86th minute, a change that had to be difficult for Lambert to make, judging by how long it took. Once again, Benteke offered little and was in John O’Shea’s back pocket most of the game. It’s becoming a source of concern. The lack of goals is one thing, the lack of hold-up play, the fouls conceded…nothing’s sticking to him.

One could argue that he’s been starved of service, and perhaps that will change in upcoming weeks as Gabby and Weimann play themselves back into the flow, but it’s also clear he’s not working terribly hard off the ball, and seems to be making strange runs that take himself out of the play.

One could also argue that he’ll inevitably catch fire soon enough. One hopes.

As I said, Villa finished on the front foot, totaling 13 attempts to 7 for Sunderland, and finishing with 4 chances on target to 1, although Sunderland’s one could well have been enough to seal the win for them, never mind the attempt Giaccherini scooped over.

All in all, a draw was probably a fair result, but the lack of real scoring threat from Villa will be the impression that lingers today.

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