Bournemouth analysis: Creative Cherries rue wasteful finishing
- Published
While going nine games unbeaten in the Premier League is an achievement not to be sniffed at, manager Andoni Iraola will see Bournemouth's goalless draw with Brentford as two points dropped rather than one point gained.
Bournemouth have now drawn their last three games, all against sides around them in the table. Just one win would have boosted their fading hopes of playing European football next season.
"It's a point. It's very little seeing our performance and our needs. There are also a lot of positives but probably at this stage of the season you need the points," Iraola told BBC Match of the Day.
"We are drawing a lot of games. Draws don't get you a lot. Yes we go to 40 and that's a big positive in the end looking at the big picture. But in this moment after a game we feel the frustration."
The home side had no problem creating opportunities – they had five big chances as defined by Opta and produced an expected goals (xG) rating of 1.99 – but the final touch was lacking.
After an uneventful opening 30 minutes, James Hill headed over from less than 10 yards out before Ryan Christie rounded Kelleher but ran out of pitch before he could finish.
Tavernier curled an effort wide before he forced Kelleher into a smart save with his legs with the game's first shot on target in first-half injury-time.
Bournemouth looked like they would get their reward in the final moments when Kroupi ran on to a cut-back, but a slight deflection denied him a ninth league goal of the season and summed up his side's evening.