90 minutes was not enough for a persistent Bournemouth to break the deadlock against a fortified Watford side last night.
The game awarded each side about a dozen chances, though neither were capable of converting those opportunities into goals. The clearest chance of the game fell to an out-of-form Odion Igahlo, who failed to get the best of Artur Boruc with a close-range header.
Fans at Vicarage Road would have been frustrated to see the game finish goalless after 25 attempts at goal between the teams – only four of those on target.
Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe carried the same sentiment when giving the post-match interview, claiming, “I think any point away from home is a good point. We’re disappointed in reflection because I think we were the dominant team.”
The result means that Watford continue to linger mid-table, currently sandwiched between ninth placed Liverpool and 11th placed Chelsea. As for Bournemouth, Howe will be happy to see his side move a point further from the relegation zone, with three of the five sides under him having already lost this weekend.
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Max Gradel returns to the Bournemouth lineup
This weekend’s fixture against Watford set the stage for the return of Ivorian international Max Gradel. The Cherries wideman has spent the majority of his time at the club in recovery, after sustaining a nasty ACL injury back in August against Leicester.
Starting the game on the bench, Gradel was given an early birth into the game after Junior Stanislas went down in the 22nd minute with a fairly evident thigh injury. Howe would later state that the loss of Stanislas is a significant one.
“It appears a hamstring [injury]- It’s a real blow for us, because Junior has been outstanding for us this season- a real creative force…He said he felt really good in the leadup to the game, but it’s just one of those things.”
Despite almost six-months out, Gradel looked as sharp as ever when slipping into the left-wing position. Playing aside from the front two, it still seemed as though the majority of Bournemouth’s second-half chances were falling to the feet (and head) of the 26-year-old.
In saying that though, his prolonged absence from the pitch may be the reason for his failure to convert his chances into goals. Nevertheless, Bournemouth fans will be happy to see him back.
Odion Igahlo cooling down
After the 0-0 draw with Bournemouth Igahlo boasts zero goals in five games and one goal in the last nine- which also means that a player who was once one of the league’s front-runners for golden boot, has now only scored a single Premier League goal in 2016.
Igahlo will be hoping he can break his scoring drought soon and return to the form that made him a household name among Premier League watchers. As it stands he has a tally of 14 Premier League goals.
With Vardy out in front on 19 and Harry Kane and Romelu Lukaku tied for second on 16, the Nigerian has plenty of competition for the mantle of top goalscorer.
And with only 11 games remaining for Watford, Igahlo may start to feel the squeeze – especially considering some of those remaining fixtures are against Manchester United, Leicester, Arsenal, Everton and Liverpool.
4 – Watford have failed to score in four of their last six Premier League matches. Fade.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 27, 2016
Bournemouth disorientated by change in formation
Eddie Howe’s Bournemouth have thrived in a 4-1-4-1 formation this season. Though it may not have translated into a great deal of ‘points return’, Bournemouth can boast some of the best passing in the competition.
Howe has always opted for the three-man-midfield-machine of Harry Arter and Dan Gosling, with Andrew Surman tucked in behind playing the ‘anchor’ role. However, in a strange stroke of ambition, the manager compromised his three man midfield in favour of coupling Joshua King with Benik Afobe up front – leaving Surman and Arter to run the midfield themselves.
As a result, Bournemouth saw their passing success rate drop by 10% (from 85% to 75%), compared to their last Premier League match, against the notoriously robust Stoke City.
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