Southampton show spirit but Hughes job still on line
Southampton eased the pressure on manager Mark Hughes with a spirited performance to halt their south coast neighbours’ early-season charge, but it is still hard to see where the goals to avoid another flirtation with relegation will come from.
Hughes awoke in his seafront hotel to morning newspaper headlines suggesting his club are already lining up the former Monaco coach, Leonardo Jardim, to replace him at St Mary’s after an alarming run of just three wins in 16 Premier League games.
While the Welshman was buoyed by a much-improved defensive display, two late spurned chances from substitutes Stuart Armstrong and Manolo Gabbiadini only highlighted why he has found points so hard to come by.
Scotland international Armstrong’s tame attempt to beat Bournemouth goalkeeper Asmir Begovic from close range after latching onto Shane Long’s knock-down epitomised Southampton’s lack of confidence in front of goal.
Gabbiadini’s miss in stoppage time was even more glaring as the Italian, so prolific early in his Southampton career, headed harmlessly onto the roof of the net after Nathan Redmond’s pinpoint cross had found him unmarked six yards from goal.
It was the type of chance Manchester United favourite Hughes would have taken with his eyes closed during his trophy-laden playing days.
But Hughes was reluctant to criticise Gabbiadini, saying: “It looked more clear-cut than it actually was. It was still a difficult chance, and he was trying to get over the top of the ball and head it down and was not able to do so.
“It is a shame, because a point here is good – but on clear-cut chances we edged it, and should have got the three points in the end.”
Much of the build-up to the game had been dominated by the debate as to whether Bournemouth are genuine rivals to Southampton, who still consider Hampshire neighbours Portsmouth as their main foes, and as passionate local derbies go, this certainly was not one.
Both teams were lacking a spark in a largely lifeless first half on and off the pitch, with Bournemouth midfielder David Brooks’s wayward left-foot effort the closest either side came to scoring.
Joshua King threatened to relieve the boredom in the 64th minute but, like Brooks, failed to hit the target after ghosting in at the near post to reach a Callum Wilson cross, before Nathan Ake headed at Southampton goalkeeper Alex McCarthy from a corner.
Bournemouth have made their best start to a Premier League season, but could not show their usual attacking dynamism – and in the end, manager Eddie Howe was grateful to Armstrong and Gabbiadini for maintaining their unbeaten home record.
Howe said: “It was strange for us, as nil-nils are not usually our forte, but we never truly got going. It was a scrappy game and both sides cancelled each other out. We did not really see the attacking players imprint themselves.”
Bournemouth (4-4-1-1) Begovic 6; Francis 6, S Cook 6, Ake 7, Smith 7; Brooks 5 (Stanislas 59), Lerma 7, L Cook 6, Fraser 5 (Ibe 77); King 6 (Gosling 85); Wilson 5. Subs Boruc (g), Rico, Surman, Defoe. Booked Wilson. Southampton (4-4-2) McCarthy 6; Cedric 6, Stephens 7, Hoedt 8, Bertrand 6; Elyounoussi 5, Lemina 6 (Armstrong 66), Hojbjerg 6, Redmond 7; Ings 5 (Gabbiadini 78), Austin 5 (Long 78). Subs Gunn (g), Yoshida, Vestergaard, Ward-Prowse. Booked Bertrand, Lemina. Referee Lee Probert (Wiltshire).