If you tuned into Crystal Palace vs Bournemouth expecting fireworks, you got… tactical frost. The match ended 0-0, and neither side truly lit up the pitch, with more fouls than flair and shot maps that will haunt attacking coaches for a week.

But beneath the lack of goals, there was a fascinating battle in buildup, territory, and structure—if not in final-third execution.

? Stat Sheet Nuggets

xG: Bournemouth 0.62 – 0.25 Palace

Shots: Bournemouth 15 – 4 Palace

Touches in box: Bournemouth 23 – 11 Palace

Dribbles: Bournemouth 31 – 13 Palace

Progressive runs: Bournemouth 29 – 9 Palace

Fouls committed: Palace 13 – 10 Bournemouth

Red cards: 1 (Palace, first half)

Palace spent much of the second half down to 10 men but managed to hold firm. That, in itself, might be their biggest win of the day.

? Momentum and xG: A Game of Almosts

The cumulative xG chart tells a tale of incremental buildup, not breakthrough. Bournemouth ended the match with a modest 0.62 xG, while Palace trailed with just 0.25 xG—a combined 0.87 in total. Translation: this one was never going to end 4-4.

The momentum edged towards Bournemouth, particularly in the second half when they created most of their chances, but the spikes were shallow—lots of pressure, little payoff.

? Shots Fired (and Mostly Missed)

Let’s talk shooting—or the lack thereof.

Bournemouth: 15 shots taken, but only 3 on target and none in the net. Their shot map shows a team firing from the edge of the box and rarely finding clear sightlines. The highest xG chance? Just 0.09. A blocked-fest.

Crystal Palace: Just 4 shots. Zero on target. One of the lowest shot volumes we’ve seen this season. Their xG per shot was slightly better (0.062), but they never got close to really threatening.

Both teams combined for 0 big chances. That says it all.

? Possession and Passing: Bournemouth Dominate the Ball, But Not the Box

The pass maps show how this game tilted:

Bournemouth dominated the ball with 71% possession, building patiently through Adams, Huijsen, and Kluivert, pushing up the left via Kerkez and Ouattara. Their structure was clean, but they struggled to break through Palace’s deeper block.

Palace, meanwhile, were reactive. Their pass map clustered around the halfway line, relying on Guehi, Hughes, and Wharton to stabilize under pressure. Their buildup rarely advanced far—reflected in their 41 touches in the opponent’s half compared to Bournemouth’s 55.

?? Final Whistle Take

This was a match of territory without teeth. Bournemouth brought the structure and pace, Palace brought the grit, and both brought bluntness in front of goal.

No goals. No celebrations. Just two teams who worked hard and left frustrated—and one fanbase probably needing a coffee after sitting through it.