Is Gradel a spent force at AFCB?

When Max Gradel was signed for the Cherries in 2015, it brought back memories of his first month loan-period at the club and the exciting wing play that dazzled opponents and fans. He came back to the club for the start of its Premier League journey, but has he really delivered what we might have expected?

Is time nearly up for Max at AFCB?

For me, Max has been unlucky with his injuries and his lack of games. I believe he has the talent to be one of the star men at the club, but I wonder if the time has passed for him to make an impact now. Max is 29 and is one of the players you might have thought that Eddie Howe would be saying to himself, when he signed him, that this will be a reliable wide man for me. Yet, the form for Max has been patchy at best and while we can remember the West Ham away match last season as a fabulous moment for Max, there have not been too many highlights since he trotted out for the team in 2016/17.

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Many would have expected him to leave or go out on loan in January, but he has stayed. That we are led to believe is a statement that Max wants to play his football at Dean Court and still believes he has something to give this team. Well the matches are running out and the Cherries need players that will defy the odds to beat some of the big teams now if they are to pick up points with enough ease to avoid any relegation worries. Whether Eddie sees that Max is in the right mind to do that for AFCB or not will be pivotal for Max. It is up to him really - does he want to be a player that the fans fall in live with again - or does he flit into the team now and again from the subs bench?

We need to see the Max that was banging in goals for Saint-Etienne in La Ligue 1. I don't expect that Max has been at all happy with his current time at AFCB but he has just a few months to try and prove to everyone that he is a Premier League player that is not past his best. Others have not been so lucky to keep their prospects going at Dean Court, but Max still has a chance to show he is not spent force.