Aston Villa will be heading back up the M40 feeling very sore and not a little grateful to come away from White Hart Lane with a point following a fairly anaemic 0-0 draw with Tottenham.  If Spurs are looking for answers about why they failed to capitalise on periods of control, they need only look in the mirror.  In truth, a seriously decent side would have gone a couple ahead inside the first 20 minutes.

Despite a very shaky start, the back four and Friedel defended like heroes when called upon and were once again willing to throw their bodies in front of everything Spurs threw at them.  Once again Richard Dunne and Brad Friedel deserve special recognition.  For Tottenham’s part, if they couldn’t realise that some real invention would be required to get on the score sheet today, that’s their problem.

If Tottenham lacked the spark of true quality going forward, Villa looked more like a Neanderthal without the first clue about the concept of fire at all.  They were also their own worst enemies and the number of unforced errors that led to a loss of possession during the few promising moves forward were frustrating to say the least.

However, looking for positives; Milner forced a very good save out of Gomes and Gabby’s follow up on the rebound also took a strong effort to prevent a goal.  Villa had a good shout for a penalty when Dawson handled the ball as he fell, but Spurs fans might lament a Petrov challenge on Defoe in the box late on in the game that was turned away.  I might be biased, but Dawson’s handball was undeniable, but I’d be tempted to argue that Defoe made the most of little, if any, contact from Petrov.

I really hate saying this; but I was quite pleased to see Emile Heskey limp off to be replaced by John Carew just after 20 minutes.  Once again, so much of what Villa did manage to construct going forward came to a premature end when the ball reached Heskey.  He may well create space for others, but when he can’t even do the simple things when the ball comes to him, what use is he?  Unfortunately, John Carew wasn’t a massive amount better.

Across the middle, all four players showed their quality in flashes, but no two of them seemed capable of turning it on at the same time.  In fact, at times I had to wonder whether anyone in this team had been formally introduced to one another.  I certainly wouldn’t have guessed that MON had sent out the same starting XI again!

So over the course of two legs, it’s honours even between them and us.  They remain a couple of points ahead after this match, but we have that game in hand.  Over the course of the other 36 games, I remain confident that we will take more points than Tottenham and will rightly sit above them at the end of the season.  By how much and whereabouts, I wouldn’t like to say.

I will get round to a Statshack later, but I have a very good feeling what the numbers will look like.  Right now, I’ve got a stinking cold and there’s 2 feet of snow outside that won’t shovel itself.

Just one final thought to leave you with; anyone else see the irony of a team built around wingers and full backs getting completely owned down the flanks by David Bentley and Gareth Bale?  Seriously, Bale looks like he may well deliver on his promise; he was excellent today.