Claude Puel admits his Southampton players looked slightly tired after the international break in their 0-0 draw at Bournemouth.
The south coast derby ended goalless at St Mary’s after Bournemouth’s Harry Arter slipped during his run-up for a late penalty and struck it embarrassingly over the bar.
The result leaves Bournemouth, who are unbeaten in four without conceding during their past two games, in 11th and level on 34 points with 10th-placed Southampton.
Ryan Bertrand was unfortunate to be penalised when referee Jonathan Moss awarded the visitors a 79th minute penalty for a slight tug on Ryan Fraser, but Southampton manager Puel was more concerned about his team’s performance.
“It is a little disappointing to just take one point at home but it is a fair result,” said the Frenchman. "We could have won, we could have lost.
“Some of our players looked a little bit tired after the international break. We had 15 players away. It’s not an excuse but it’s difficult.”
Puel had spoken to Dusan Tadic earlier this week after the midfielder expressed his frustration at how often he is substituted.
Puel again substituted him late in the second half, despite him looking like their best player.
“It was interesting, he played a very good first half, he can do the same, it was good and I am happy with his performance,” said Puel.
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A point away from home against a solid Southampton side will satisfy most Bournemouth fans.
Saturday’s first-half performance was poor, but the Cherries stepped on the gas in the second 45 minutes and the resulting scoreless draw was a fair result.
While it’s another game away from home in which Eddie Howe’s side have failed to win, a clean sheet and avoiding defeat is something that helps keep the momentum going as the club head into the next match.
Another clean sheet and the continued recent improvement in Simon Francis were the main plus points from the game. The Cherries suddenly seem to be finding some defensively solidity which bodes well for the rest of the campaign and beyond. Artur Boruc was also back to his best.
Benik Afobe put in an ineffectual performance and his inconsistency is a concern for the remainder of the season as it’s up to him and Josh King to ensure survival still. The midfield lacked potency again on occasion and spent most the game closing down rather than creating. Andrew Surman going off with injury is also a worry.
6 – Puzzling decision to substitute off King rather than Afobe. The latter had a very quiet game and it would have made more sense to keep on King who was in much better form.
Player ratings: (1-10; 10=best. Players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)
GK Artur Boruc, 8 – Made a couple of fantastic saves and kept his team in the game on a number of occasions. His 43rd-minute stop to deny a Steven Davis volley was the pick of the bunch.
DF Adam Smith, 6 – He was caught out of position frequently which nearly cost the Cherries a goal in the opening 10 minutes but Smith got better in both defence and attack as the game wore on.
DF Simon Francis, 7 – It was another improved performance from the captain who suddenly seems to be finding his feet after a rocky season so far. He was dominant in the air and made a couple of decent blocks. He’s got two more months to save his position for next season and if he continues with performances like these he might just do just that.
DF Steve Cook, 7 – Another decent showing from the former Brighton defender as he always seemed in the right place at the right time. He dealt with every Southampton attack with ease and is maturing into a fantastic Premier League defender.
DF Charlie Daniels, 7 – He was Bournemouth’s best player in the opening half and every attacking movement they seemed to manufacture came down his flank. His energy on the ball wore off as the game progressed but it was still a solid performance.
MF Ryan Fraser, 6 – One of the more threatening Bournemouth players who constantly looked a threat with the ball at his feet. However, he did struggle to find the really dominant form which possessed him before the international break.
MF Andrew Surman, 5 – Largely ineffectual in the middle of the park and if it wasn’t for being injured he would have probably been subbed off anyway for lack of impact.
MF Dan Gosling, 5 – Battled where he could and applied his usual high-tempo work rate, but in terms of end product, he was lacking.
MF Marc Pugh, 6 – Linked up well with Daniels down the flank on a couple of occasions but it’s still confusing as to what Pugh is doing to continue keeping Junior Stanislas and Jordon Ibe out of the team.
FW Josh King, 5 – One of his quieter games of the season and he looked a shadow of the player who hit three past West Ham just a matter of weeks ago.
FW Benik Afobe, 4 – Had a very quiet game and his performance will only be remembered for his awful attempt on goal in the 61st minute which he put it wide despite being unmarked inside the penalty box.
MF Harry Arter, 4 – The Republic of Ireland international didn’t do much besides nearly lose the ball with his sky-high penalty miss.
MF Jack Wilshere, 5 – Did manage to burst into the penalty area with the ball at his feet on a couple of occasions but failed to do any serious damage.
Will Kent is a freelance journalist who has worked for AFC Bournemouth, ESPN UK and ESPN FC, among others. Twitter: @WillKentSPORT
A late missed penalty from Harry Arter cost Bournemouth victory in the south coast derby as they drew 0-0 at Southampton.
After they had resisted much of the hosts’ pressure, Arter struck well over the crossbar when he could have secured all three points and further eased the slim threat of relegation.
A draw instead leaves Bournemouth 11th in the Premier League and level on 34 points with their 10th-placed rivals, who have two games in hand. They sit seven points clear of the bottom three.
Watch the highlights from Southampton 0-0 Bournemouth in the video above
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Harry Arter had a moment to forget on Saturday as he blazed a penalty well over the bar in Bournemouth’s 0-0 draw with Southampton.
Jonathan Moss awarded the visitors a penalty in the 78th minute after Ryan Bertrand’s off-the-ball tug on Ryan Fraser.
The stage was set for a Bournemouth victory in what was Southampton’s first match at St Mary’s in almost two months.
But Arter - much like David Beckham for England against Portugal at Euro 2004 - seemed unsteady on his feet and instead shot embarrassingly over the crossbar.
Watch Harry Arter’s penalty miss in the video above
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SAINTS boss Claude Puel admitted he was happy with a point after AFC Bournemouth’s strong finish to the goalless draw at St Mary’s.
The visitors had the best opportunities but Harry Arter missed a penalty – a replica of Harry Kane’s skier from the same spot during Spurs’ 4-1 win in December – and Adam Smith struck a post after Steven Davis had cleared off the line from Andrew Surman.
Puel said: “The draw is a fair result, we had a good start and a good first half but they came back with good opportunities in the second half.
“We needed to be more clinical in front of goal as we were playing a team with good quality and good organisation.
“It’s not an excuise but after an international break it is always difficult. Playing two games in a month makes it hard.”
On Arter’s miss, Cherries boss Eddie Howe said: “Those things happen, no-one goes there to miss. Josh King would have taken it, but he went off. I always respect people who put themselves up for taking penalties.
“I’m just glad we’re getting in positions to score, it’s pleasing we are creating those opportunities.
"Ideally a player shouldn’t slip taking a penalty but it was a high-pressure situation and these things happen.
“We were excellent in the second half, we dominated the last 25 minutes and on another day we’d have scored two or three against a very good team.
“They showed that in the first half, we didn’t get to grips with them. We can’t be too disappointed with a point away from home, this is a tough place to come.”
Howe also confirmed that ex Saint Andrew Surman’s knee is in a brace after he was substituted following a first half collision with Fraser Forster.
SAINTS manager Claude Puel admits Manolo Gabbiadini is struggling to be fit for Crystal Palace’s visit on Wednesday night.
The club’s record signing was sorely missed in the goalless draw against AFC Bournemouth, following the groin strain he suffered in Saints’ last match at Spurs two weeks ago.
Saints scored 11 goals in Gabbiadini’s first four appearances, with the Italian netting six of them after his £14.6m move from Napoli.
But Gabbiadini had to be content with watching Saints’ first home match since his EFL Cup final heroics from an executive box in the Itchen Stand on Saturday
Puel hopes he will be available for next Saturday’s trip to West Brom.
When asked if Gabbiadini is likely to be fit for Palace’s visit, he said: “Manolo for the next game, it’s still difficult.”
In Gabbiadini’s absence, Jay Rodriguez was recalled for his first start since Saints’ previous home game, the 3-1 defeat against West Ham on February 4.
“It was an opportunity to see other players and for [substitutes] Shane Long and Sofiane Boufal to show their quality and have game time,” said Puel.
Rodriguez had Saints’ best effort on target, a powerful half-volley tipped away by a flying Artur Borouc at the end of the first half.
But otherwise Saints hardly threatened the former Saints goalkeeper.
Puel was disappointed with a point but acknowledged it was a fair result, given Bournemouth’s impressive second-half showing.
He continued: “It’s a little disappointment in the end just to take one point at home but I think this draw is a fair result.
“We could have lost but some players were tired after the international games. With the tiredness of the players it’s normal to have difficulties to finish.
“It’s always difficult to play after an international break. It’s not an excuse but we have played two games in a month and it was difficult to keep the rhythm and intensity.
“It was a good start to the game, a good first half. We lost a little intensity after a fantastic opportunity at the end of the first half with very good action.
“We tried in the second half to come back but it was difficult for us at the end.”
Bournemouth were unfortunate not to win. Harry Arter’s missed penalty, a carbon copy of namesake Kane’s skier from the same spot in Spurs’ 4-1 win in December, was one of several late Cherries chances.
Adam Smith struck a post and a diving Fraser Forster did well to keep out Arter’s blistering effort to atone.
“They had good quality and good organisation,” added Puel. “It’s a fair result this draw, and we must accept this.
“I’m pleased with the attitude of the players because they tried to play good football. They showed good persistence.
“We needed to be more clinical with our opportunities but it’s a good draw, a fair result.”
Saints are now preparing for Wednesday’s visit from a Crystal Palace side on a high after their stunning fourth successive win, 2-1 at Chelsea.
Then it is hoped Gabbiadini will be fit for what would be his fifth successive Saints appearance away from St Mary’s, at West Brom on Saturday.
“We now play three games this week and that’s a good thing, I think,” added Puel. “We can focus on a good recovery for the next game at home against Crystal Palace.”
Referee Anthony Taylor opens up to Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher in Sky Sports documentary
A referee analysing his own performance might be a rare occurrence but Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville got an insight into one “indefensible” Premier League decision during a Sky Sports documentary that airs this weekend.
The pair were given unique access to some of the country’s top referees in The Referees, Onside with Carragher & Neville - a special programme to be shown on Sky Sports 1 at 7pm after the Super Sunday clash between Arsenal and Manchester City.
In the behind-the-scenes documentary we get to know the men behind the whistle, including Premier League referee Anthony Taylor, who lifted the lid on his call to award a controversial spot-kick to Burnley against Swansea earlier this season.
Taylor wrongly awarded a penalty to Burnley instead of a free-kick to Swansea when George Boyd’s corner was handled by team-mate Sam Vokes and it’s a decision the referee admits was “really poor”.
“It’s important to have a degree of honesty when we’re doing this - you can’t defend the indefensible,” Taylor said, assessing his display alongside Neville, Carragher and PGMOL’s Select Group Director, Adam Gale-Watts.
“For me personally and my personal sense of pride, it’s a really poor decision.”
How did Taylor come to the decision he made?
He put it down to basic human error, which he insisted can happen in any professional’s walk of life.
Taylor said: "At the time the reasoning behind the decision was based around the last arm I saw in the air was from a Swansea player. It was totally flawed logic at that moment in time. The reaction of the Swansea players suggests to me that something’s not right here.
“The reason I look a bit lost and meandering around is I’m trying to speak to my colleagues - it was difficult with so many players surrounding me and trying to influence me from both sides. But you’re also looking to see if there’s any kind of information there to make me change my decision.”
From brandishing the cards to running the line to even taking a fitness test, Carragher and Neville were tested on every aspect of being a referee for the documentary - and it’s fair to say they found it tough.
After one stern test, former Liverpool defender Carragher told Neil Swarbrick: “I will never ever criticise you again!”
How did Neville and Carragher get on? Find out by watching The Referees - Onside with Neville & Carragher on Sky Sports 1 on Sunday at 7pm after Arsenal v Manchester City on Super Sunday.
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Claude Puel praised