Stevie G is looking for a big cash flow
BOSS IS SET TO SPLASH OUT ON NEW SIGNINGS
STEVEN GERRARD is planning a spending spree to revive Aston Villa and the club must aim to invest their money much better than last summer.
Villa claimed to have replaced Jack Grealish with three players when they cashed in on their talisman last year and then reinvested most of his £100million fee.
Yet none of the attacking trio Leon Bailey, Emiliano Buendia or Danny Ings have made much impact for Villa as this stalemate underlined.
Only some hard defending ensured Villa ended a four-match losing run.
Boss Gerrard, in charge since November, said “We were compact and looked very organised. I think we deserved a clean sheet and it is important if you can’t win at places like this that you take something away from the game.
“I am satisfied with our defensive performance.
“We came here to win but it was important we stopped the losing run.
“This gives us a base to take into Norwich next.”
Jamaican attacker Bailey, signed for £25m, made just his second start this year and blew the visitors’ best chance with a wild finish.
While £33m Argentine record signing Buendia was only introduced 11 minutes from time and £25m striker Danny Ings was an unused substitute.
Gerrard added: “I thought it was a performance in the right direction for Leon. He has trained ever so well in the seven to 10 days.
“I think he has had a frustrating time.
“But he can make a difference and help get us higher up the pitch.
“When you are up against a Brendan Rodgers team you know you are going to need players to get you from one end of the pitch to the other.
“That was the thinking behind his selection.
“I thought he should have put us 1-0 up early on but I will forgive him for that because he was in the right place.
“Buendia was injured in the week but he is one we trust.
“He will keep knocking on the door because he is a little warrior.
“He is a wonderful player and gives me another good option but the onus is on the boys to keep pushing for game-time.”
Rodgers shuffled his lineup with four changes ahead of Thursday’s Europa Conference League semi-final against Roma.
He was satisfied with the draw which means his side are on track for a top-half finish.
The hosts got their biggest cheer with the return of fit-again Jamie Vardy off the bench as a sub after a knee injury.
Rodgers said: “He brings an extra dimension.
“He hasn’t trained a great deal and it
was good to get him out on to the field again. But we have to be careful with him, he has been out for a long period.”
The hosts made a composed start but nearly let the visitors in from Wesley Fofana’s poor header.
Ollie Watkins got clear from the Frenchman’s mistake and cut the ball back to Bailey but he shot over.
The closest City came to opening the scoring was just before the break when James Maddison curled a 30-yard free-kick wide.
After the break Watkins got clear twice and tested Kasper Schmeichel with a near-post right-foot shot.
And Bailey had a low shot
blocked by Fofana’s hand but no-one appealed for a penalty.
Leicester pushed for the win after Vardy came on but he had few sights of goal in front of Villa assistant head coach Michael Beale, who returned from comforting his family who had earlier been in a car crash.
He Tweeted: “Huge thank you to the highway traffic officer who looked after my wife and three children after a collision with a delivery lorry.
“My world was in the car. “Horrible call to receive and so thankful they are safe, well and at home. Emotional day.”