Stanislas is so underrated

There have been many seasons where Junior Stanislas has watched on from the sidelines with injuries. He has been a really unlucky player in some respects and yet the quality of his abilities can't be denied. He is perhaps the most talented Bournemouth player, we just don't get to see him often enough. But now he is flourishing again and he can't be ignored.

Junior is proving that he is one of the most talented players in AFCB's squad

I was most surprised when Junior started on the bench against Leicester. He had played well against Spurs and most fans expected him to be starting on the left. Instead Eddie chose Danjuma and he had a pretty poor half. But when Stanislas did come on, Bournemouth suddenly had a player who knew exactly how to hurt Leicester and he did it with some tight close control and an eye for goal.

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The penalty that Stanislas stepped up to take was also an important moment. While Josh King was not on the field as our usual penalty taker, I was expecting Callum Wilson to take it, especially as he was fouled and is leading the goal chart for the Cherries. But Stanislas who had come on as a sub had no hesitation in wanting to take it. It must have been pre-planned that he would take a penalty, if one came up. I had no doubt he would score. Despite Kasper Schmeichel's antics before the kick, Stanislas just looked down and concentrated on the ball and the spot from where the kick would be struck. A few bounces of the ball an he was ready and slipped the ball casually down the middle of the goal. It could be Bournemouth's most important goal of the season I feel.

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While Stanislas might be annoyed that he didn't get the rights to his second goal and Bournemouth's third, he did everything to make the goal. He had Leicester defenders going backwards and on their heels, and while his shot was deflected he was always steering his way to goal and making room for the shot that in the end was struck well enough to find the net. He deserved a bit of luck and the deflection gave Schmeichel no chance of making a save.

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All this would be a great performance for any sub, but Stanislas was also playing as a wing back on the right side, which is not somewhere that he has played recently or in a while. But he embraced the position and wanted to do well. If Bournemouth do stay up, a lot of it will be because of Junior Stanislas just like it was in the first season when Bournemouth had to fight to stay in the Premier League.

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