NATHAN Ake vowed to graft hard after feeling “frustrated” and “disappointed” by his recent displays.

The defender, who has been ever present in Cherries’ four Premier League games this season, felt he had hit a lull in form after a promising individual start to the campaign.

Coupled with an ankle injury which forced him to withdraw from the Netherlands' latest World Cup qualifying squad, the former Chelsea man has endured a difficult three-week spell.

But the 22-year-old is fully aware he cannot feel sorry for himself, with Cherries looking to get their first win in the Premier League this season at home to Brighton tomorrow (8pm).

The club-record £20million summer signing told the Daily Echo: “Looking at myself, in the past two games I haven’t performed at the level I normally do.

“At the moment I am doing things I normally don’t do and I need to pick myself up.

“I am sure it will get back to normal as soon as possible and I am going to work hard.”

He added: “I think from a personal point of view, I was really frustrated and disappointed with myself (at Arsenal).

“In the previous game (against Manchester City) I think there were still good signs but I made a couple of mistakes.

“Maybe that stayed in my head for Arsenal.

"It’s weird and I can’t put a finger on why.

“I am always quite critical of myself to be fair, so for me it’s hard and I am down for a couple of days after.

“The first two games went really well for me. I felt confident and everything was going well.”

Ake made his senior debut for the Dutch earlier this year in a 2-1 friendly win over Morocco.

The former Feyenoord youngster then came off the bench in his country’s 5-0 World Cup qualifying victory over Luxembourg in June.

But despite being selected for Dick Advocaat’s squad for recent qualifiers against France and Bulgaria, an ankle problem picked up in Cherries’ 2-1 defeat to City kept him out.

Asked about having to withdraw from the squad, the defender added: “It was hard.

“There was a bit of disappointment of course.

“I was in contact with them (the Netherlands).

“I wanted to try but they said they needed everyone fit from the first day straight away and I didn’t know if I was able to do that, so we decided to pull out.

“Of course you want to be there. The national team is a big platform.

“I want to be around that and they were two important games for the national team as well.

“I thought it was going to be a minor thing but it was a ligament issue and it was hard to take.

“I did my rehab and came back quicker than expected. At Arsenal my ankle felt fine, it was no excuse.”