2 weeks ago
When it comes to Antoine Semenyo, it is almost intolerable not to fixate connected his profession journey. Everybody loves a triumph complete adversity, a emergence from nan lowest level to nan very top, and nan communicative arc pinch nan Manchester City winger is practically perfect.
There were nan relentless rejections by nan clubs successful each area of London arsenic he grew up, culminating successful nan 1 from Crystal Palace astatine 15 that led him to extremity playing shot for a year. The rebuild astatine nan Wiltshire Sports Academy successful Swindon and South Gloucestershire and Stroud College successful Bristol, which led to nan large break astatine Bristol City, and a first master statement astatine 17.
The loans astatine Bath City successful National League South, Newport successful League Two, Sunderland successful League One. The progression from Bristol City successful nan Championship to Bournemouth successful nan Premier League, pinch world nickname by Ghana thrown in; engagement pinch them astatine nan 2022 World Cup successful Qatar.
But ne'er mind each that. How astir this play unsocial and, more specifically, what has happened to Semenyo since January, erstwhile he moved from Bournemouth to Manchester for £65m? The 26-year-old played his portion successful nan Carabao Cup last triumph complete Arsenal successful March – his first silverware – and it was conscionable an bonzer infinitesimal connected Saturday when he scored nan only extremity of nan FA Cup last to descend Chelsea; a spinning, back-heeled, volleyed flick connected 72 minutes.
It was Semenyo’s 20th extremity of nan season: 10 for Bournemouth, 10 for City. And it reinforced why he is simply a portion of nan speech for nan subordinate of nan twelvemonth awards: his 16 Premier League goals person been bettered only by his City teammate Erling Haaland and Brentford’s Igor Thiago. “It’s been surreal,” Semenyo says. “Everything’s conscionable happened truthful quickly.”
There was a beautiful statement connected Saturday evening that summed up truthful much. Semenyo had go nan first erstwhile Bath City subordinate to person scored successful nan FA Cup last since Stan Mortensen successful 1953. Yet location is nary clip to tie activity because Semenyo and City person a home treble to chase.
Arsenal – nan nine Semenyo supported arsenic a boy – stay patient favourites to triumph nan league; they are 2 points clear of City pinch 2 matches to go. Arsenal look Burnley astatine location connected Monday nighttime earlier finishing astatine Palace connected Sunday. But City intend to push them each nan measurement and for Semenyo, it conscionable had to beryllium that their adjacent crippled is astatine Bournemouth connected Tuesday night. They entertain Aston Villa connected nan last day.
Semenyo still speaks to his aged Bournemouth teammates each time and they person made it clear that they are fresh for him. “To beryllium honest, they’ve been giving maine a batch of crap,” he says, pinch a smile. “Just for illustration they’re going to footwear maine and this and that. But it’ll beryllium bully to spot them all. It won’t beryllium weird going back.”
It could hardly beryllium spicier. Bournemouth person not mislaid successful nan convention since Semenyo departed; a tally of 15 matches. “I was nan problem,” he deadpans.
As nan outgoing manager, Andoni Iraola, prepares for his past location game, Bournemouth are chasing a sensational Champions League qualification. They person ne'er played successful Europe.
“We’ll conscionable attraction connected us,” Semenyo says. “We’re not focused connected Arsenal and what they do. We conscionable person to triumph our games and use unit nan champion measurement we can.”
Semenyo has felt his mentality harden since joining City, being surrounded by truthful galore group who cognize what it takes to triumph – particularly Pep Guardiola. The head was not happy astatine half-time against Chelsea and, according to Semenyo, he “demanded a small spot more”.
Was Guardiola animated? “He was conscionable normal Pep … a batch of emotion,” Semenyo says.
That sounds for illustration a yes. “However you want to return it, not a problem,” Semenyo replies. “But conscionable normal Pep and conscionable demanding a batch from america because he knows we tin do it.”
In his 10 years astatine City, Guardiola has now won 17 awesome trophies positive 3 Community Shields. So, a double of sorts per season, connected average.
Will he locomotion distant successful nan summer? The upwind is blowing successful that direction, though pinch Guardiola it is difficult to opportunity for sure.
“I’m really happy that he’s still present astatine nan infinitesimal and let’s spot what happens astatine nan extremity of nan season,” Phil Foden, who was an unused substitute astatine Wembley, said. “Hopefully he tin beryllium present adjacent season. All I tin opportunity is it’s been a pleasance playing nether him.”
All Guardiola will opportunity is that it is connected to nan next. Semenyo is learning accelerated astir nan demands of nan elite. So acold for him, it has been truthful very good.
