Three winners and two losers from Southampton's frustrating stalemate with Bolton

Southampton had to settle for a frustrating 0-0 stalemate when facing Bolton Wanderers in Championship action on Saturday.

Heading into the game, the hope from Saints home supporters would have been that another resounding victory was going to fall into their beloved team's pocket at St. Mary's this season.

Unfortunately, despite notching up 1.87 xG, and having a clear penalty appeal waved away, Tonda Eckert and Co's 100% record at home this campaign in the league is now no longer intact, as the Trotters battled hard to hinder the irritated hosts.

There were some positive performers from the Saints' point of view, so it's not all doom and gloom looking back at the draw, but there were also some players from the home team's perspective that didn't impress.

Winner #1 Daniel Peretz

Daniel Peretz has now kept three Championship clean sheets on the bounce after helping his team to another shutout versus Steven Schumacher's visitors.

Of course, a win would have been the ideal end result, but the Israel international still played his part in ensuring Bolton didn't nick a shock victory, with Peretz pulling off three saves.

The ex-Bayern Munich stopper was also vocal afterwards that the Saints need to win games when facing the likes of Bolton, who will be near the bottom of the division, you imagine, when all is said and done, if they want to be near the top of the Championship pile come next May.

He's sticking out as a presence in the Saints camp that demands respect, as he has now gone 270 minutes of Championship action without conceding.

Loser #1 Cyle Larin

Cyle Larin's status when it comes to his injury issues has become the dominant talk involving the Brampton Bagsman as of late, as opposed to his red-hot goalscoring ability.

He wouldn't be risked against Norwich City mid-week, as the Saints managed to win 1-0 without him, but he was chucked in from the start against the Trotters.

This proved to be the wrong call by Eckert, as Larin had to be taken off, a couple of minutes before the half-time interval, due to a new issue emerging on the injury front.

Eckert would speak on his star striker post-match, noting that a colision with ex-Saints stopper Gavin Bazunu saw him come off, looking rather sheepish.

Hopefully, the seven-goal marksman isn't out of the team for too long, as Southampton are light on numbers when it comes to the lone striker role, and when he's firing, Larin is arguably the best centre-forward in the entire division.

Winner #2 Jack Stephens

Whilst it was a poor attacking display, truth be told, as chances were missed left, right, and centre, the defence did a sterling job again as another clean sheet was registered.

Alongside Peretz starting every single game that has ended in a clean sheet being amassed, Jack Stephens has been everpresent during this mini run of three games, as the veteran defender continues to breathe life back into his playing days on the South Coast.

The experienced captain was calm throughout, with ten ball recoveries accumulated, and three shots blocked, as the likes of Thierry Gale and Sam Dalby were kept at bay.

As the Daily Echo's Dan Hargraves put it in his post-match musings, Stephens has "hasn't really put a foot wrong" since returning to Eckert's starting XI plans, and long may that continue.

Loser #2 Lewis Dobbin

Lewis Dobbin doesn't have a starting spot nailed down yet, and after an encouraging performance against Norwich saw him work hard for the team, he was guilty of wasting far too many good openings against Bolton.

He was chosen to lead the line, ahead of a no doubt annoyed Divin Mubama, when Larin limped off, and the £9m summer signing is still yet to get up and running for the Saints with a goal.

Dobbin's underwhelming numbers vs Bolton:

Two big chances would be missed by the one-time Preston North End attacker, and he would only win one of his seven duels.

If Larin is out of the team for West Ham United away, Eckert has a huge decision on his hands as to who he uses as his lone marksman, with Dobbin hardly pounding on the door for more starts, after his subpar outing on Saturday.

Winner #3 Cameron Bragg

Lastly, Cameron Bragg would return to the starting XI against Bolton with a massive point to prove, after his silly dismissal in the South Coast Derby.

He would be trusted with one of the midfield anchor slots, with Flynn Downes out injured, and he was solid, if slightly unspectacular, throughout.

Alongside James Ward-Prowse, he would dictate play, with 56 accurate passes amassed from his 76 touches of the ball.

It was a bold call throwing him straight back into the deep-end of the starting XI, after his confidence sapping performance against Portsmouth, but it was noted as being a "positive return" by the aforementioned Hargraves, meaning he is the final Saints winner of note from the otherwise disappointing stalemate.