GABBI FAILS TO LIFT THE GLOOM Saints star blow big chance
MARK HUGHES and Eddie Howe agreed the international break influenced this rotten bore draw – for completely different reasons.
Saints boss Hughes used it to press the reset button after three straight defeats and watched his new-look back four keep their first clean sheet since September 1.
But Bournemouth boss Howe blamed it for stifling his side’s progress following two wins.
In fact, the Cherries were lucky to survive on the south coast after a terrible stoppage-time miss from Manolo Gabbiadini (right).
Saints have still won only three of 17 league games under Hughes.
But this was a much-improved display which eased the pressure on him significantly.
He started centre-backs Wesley Hoedt and Jack Stephens together for only the second time after the pair impressed in training.
And the decision paid off with both men having strong games.
Hughes said: “I thought it made total sense to go with the guys who had been here the last two weeks, and I thought they were excellent. I saw good things from them in training.
“Maybe the international break came at a good time for us.
“Certainly, we had to improve on our defensive work. We needed to reset. We did enough to win the game, we had three or four really good, clear-cut chances.
“Bournemouth have been flying, but we were able to manage the game.”
Howe saw his men set a Premier League club record by extending their ■ Bournemouth have lost just one of their last nine home Premier League games (W5 D3). unbeaten home run to six matches. But he insisted the break had come at a bad time for his high-flying side. Howe said: “On the back of such a good run of results you want to keep going and when the players come back the feel is slightly different. “We didn’t get going. It’s frustrating. We have to look at ourselves. A draw was probably a fair result. “We lost our fluency today. They will feel they had chances to win the game.” Hoedt did not concede an inch to Bournemouth’s misfiring strikers, flying into tackles and winning everything in the air. He also managed to smash one clearance right out of the ground ■ Southampton have failed to score in four consecutive Premier League games. and ping another one down the line to no one in particular before shrugging his shoulders as if to say, ‘Chase it, then!’
And that just about summed up the quality on offer with Josh King wasting a great chance for the home side with a terrible miscue from eight yards.
That was until Cedric beat two men to the byline and swung in a cross which came out to Pierreemile Hojbjerg, who chested it down and forced Asmir Begovic into a flying save from his volley.
The Cherries keeper was at his best again to smother a close-range shot from Stuart Armstrong when substitute Shane Long nodded a Cedric cross into the danger zone.
But he was beaten before the end when Nathan Redmond swung in a cross for Gabbiadini – only for the Italian to waste the game’s best chance by sending a free header over the bar from six yards.