NOW VILLA AS ELPHICK AS THIEVES

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TOMMY ELPHICK admitted Villa need to win 10 games on the bounce to make the play-offs.

The defender revealed how a few home truths from manager Dean Smith jolted the players into rescuing a draw.

The top six is a tall order but Elphick believes Smith’s message has hit home.

He said: “The gaffer came in at half-time and gave us a few home truths about looking like a team, being a team, and being a good team-mate.

“It’s something we’ve spoken about in recent weeks and I’ve spoken about in my time with Bournemouth and Hull.

“My time with Hull really enforced my beliefs in what you need in a dressing room to do something in this league and the second half was a real team performance. Whether there were mistakes or something going wrong, we all reacted as a group. In the first half we were playing as individuals..”

Villa are eight points off the top six and their next three matches are against Derby, Birmingham City and Nottingham Forest.

A point apiece was not much good to either side.

Sam Vokes scored his first goal for the Potters in the fifth minute before leaving the field with a groin injury which will keep him out for days rather than weeks.

Sub Albert Adomah scored the equaliser after replacing skipper Alan Hutton, who could have a serious knee injury.

Stoke manager Nathan Jones is also questioning his players’ mentality.

He said: “We make sure we work on being more on the front foot. It’s a confidence thing. We need the mentality to go and perform and to get right at it. That is what we work hard at doing.”