Bournemouth 0-0 Norwich: Report, Ratings & Reaction as Tight Affair Ends in Stalemate

Neither Bournemouth or Norwich could make the breakthrough at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday afternoon as the game ended in a goalless draw.

The Cherries had gained only one point from their previous two Premier League fixtures, whilst the visitors came into this fixture on the back of three consecutive defeats, including a 5-1 embarrassment at home to fellow newly promoted side Aston Villa.

The opening half lacked quality as both sides struggled to create any noteworthy chances before Dominic Solanke's near post effort was saved by an outstretched Tim Krul. Whilst both teams exhibited some slick-passing football, they also retained good defensive shapes to counter each other's chance creation.

Both teams came flying out of the blocks for the second half, resulting in more chances created and an end-to-end game of football, with Finnish superstar Teemu Pukki helping himself to a couple of chances early on in the second half.

BOURNEMOUTH

Key Talking Point

On a distinctly quiet day up front on the south coast, the only positive Eddie Howe can take from this fixture is a first Premier League clean sheet of the season.

It has taken the English manager eight games to finally end a game without conceding, and no doubt he will be keen to take that into the Cherries' next fixture against Watford, who themselves picked up a precious draw at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Player Ratings

Starting XI: Ramsdale (6); Smith (6), S. Cook (6), Ake (6), Rico (7); H. Wilson (7), L. Cook (7), Billing (8*), Fraser (6); C. Wilson (6), Solanke (6).

Substitutes: King (6), Groeneveld (5).

STAR PLAYER - Again, there were a few standout performers for the Cherries: left-back Sergio Rico was excellent offensively, whilst Liverpool loanee Harry Wilson looked dangerous coming forward.

However, Bournemouth's star player on Saturday afternoon was former Huddersfield midfielder Philip Billing.

The 6'4 Denmark Under-21 international bossed the midfield and dominated every dual that came his way, keeping Norwich's Alexander Tettey and Moritz Leitner extremely quiet.

NORWICH

Key Talking Point

The Canaries are certainly the walking wounded at the moment, with a number of players absent on Saturday with injuries.

With Ralf Fahrmann, Grant Hanley, Timm Klose and Christoph Zimmermann already sidelined, the returning Tom Trybull came on to replace the injured Godfrey only to get injured himself, although he was able to see out the remaining eight minutes of the game.

Manager Daniel Farke will be desperate to get his squad fully fit as soon as possible, with Norwich still loitering in the relegation zone, but a point at Dean Court won't be seen as the end of the world.

Player Ratings

Starting XI: Krul (6); Aarons (6), Amadou (7*), Godfrey (6), Lewis (6); Tettey (7), McLean (6); Buendía (6), Leitner (7), Cantwell (6); Pukki (7).

Substitutes: Trybull (6), Hernández (5), Srbeny (N/A).

STAR PLAYER - Well, this was a tough one...

Canaries talisman Teemu Pukki seemed to start the second half strongly, although his performance fizzled out and he accumulated a yellow card for his troubles, sorry to say, FPL players.

Ibrahim Amadou did have a relatively good game in fairness, and Norwich did record a clean sheet. For that reason alone, the Frenchman gets the 'star player' award.

Looking Ahead

Following on from Saturday's result, Bournemouth play winless ​Watford at Vicarage Road before hosting Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's ​Manchester United at home the following week. 

The Canaries play the shaky Red Devils at Carrow Road next time out, before travelling to the south coast to play a ​Brighton side who succumbed to a 2-1 away defeat to Aston Villa on Saturday afternoon.