Speaking after AFC Bournemouth were involved in a 0-0 draw with Norwich City on Saturday, Eddie Howe expressed his frustration at his side’s lack of attacking impetus during the second half.
Dominic Solanke and Arnaut Danjuma spurned the Cherries’ best chances, whilst Teemu Pukki and Tom Trybull went close for the Canaries in a lively encounter.
Coming up against a Norwich side who had lost their last three Premier League fixtures, it was perhaps expected of Bournemouth to secure the win, and Howe was disappointed by his side’s overall performance.
“We started the game really well, I was really pleased with the first 15-20 minutes [and] I thought we played some really good football”, he said.
“But it didn’t really get any better than that. We sort of faded away in the game. We stopped doing the things that brought us that early dominance.
“And then [we] became quite desperate to score, and in our desperation to score we put a lot of aerial crosses into the box which never really suits us when we play that way” he added.
With the point Bournemouth moved up into ninth position, after West Ham’s loss to Everton in the early kick-off. Howe recognised the bigger picture at play here.
“[It’s something] you always need to have in the back of your mind,” he said.
“It’s not the three [points] we wanted but it’s not a defeat at the same time.
“People will see the fact we’re playing Norwich at home and the expectation is for it to be a home win and I understand that. But these games are never that easy” he added.
Despite not being able to score today, Howe praised the work of the defence as the Cherries kept their first Premier League clean sheet of the season.
“I think the last two games for me for have been defensively a big improvement. [Aaron Ramsdale] has made the one big save [but] apart from that he’s not had too much to do.” he said.
AFC Bournemouth’s next match in the Premier League is an away fixture at Watford on Saturday 26th October.