Stoke's draw with Preston was a game that embodied the first half of the Potters season.
Really good up to the final third, where they didn't create enough to take an additional two points from the Championship's draw specialists, Preston North End.
Mark Robins, his players, Stoke fans and pundits alike have spent weeks speaking about the need for a sharper cutting edge to turn a season of promise into achievement.
The newer talking point coming out of this game was the sudden loss of all of the Potters' recognised full-backs.
Eric Bocat missed the game with injury, Junior Tchamadeu is away with Cameroon at AFCON, and now Aaron Cresswell faces time out after limping off against Preston.