'World-class' Semenyo fires Bournemouth to second place in EPL
Bournemouth fans must have feared the worst when £200m worth of first-team players left during the summer.
But keeping hold of one star - Antoine Semenyo - proved an absolute masterstroke as the Ghana winger has been the inspiration behind their climb to second spot in the Premier League.
The 25-year-old scored twice, and assisted one, as Bournemouth came from behind to beat Fulham 3-1 on Friday and move to within one point of Premier League leaders Liverpool.
The first strike to equalise was special as he picked the ball up on the left wing, left defenders in his wake, took it to the byeline and then slotted the ball through Bernd Leno's legs from a tight angle.
He then set up Justin Kluivert's goal before netting in injury time on a counter-attack.
That takes him up to six league goals this season, only behind Mancheter City's generational goalscorer Erling Haaland.
Since the start of May, he has been directly involved in more goals than any other player in the Premier League (12 - eight goals, four assists).
Not bad for a player Bristol City picked up from the South Gloucestershire and Stroud College academy at the age of 17.
"It was a hard [stormy] night to play football but it didn't matter to Semenyo," said ex-England midfielder Jamie Redknapp on Sky Sports.
"He just glides across that surface. An incredible, unique talent. So fantastic to see.
"Doesn't matter if it's right foot, left foot, makes no difference for him."
Semenyo in flying form
While almost half of Bournemouth's first team left during the summer, Semenyo was linked with moves to Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham.
But instead he signed a five-year deal back on 1 July.
And that has proved to be fantastic business for the Cherries for he is one of the form players in the Premier League right now.
Last season, the 25-year-old Ghana forward hit double figures for the first time in his career - 11 goals in the league, 13 in all competitions.
This season he has scored six times in his opening seven Premier League games and assisted three more.
Semenyo was asked after the game by the BBC if this was the best form of his life.
"Yeah, I'd like to think so," he said. "I thank God massively. He's played a massive part in my life and I'm just reaping the rewards now. So yeah, I thank him always."
There will be many clubs wishing they had taken the gamble on him before.
Semenyo qualifies for Ghana through his father, but he is from London. He was rejected by Arsenal, Spurs and Millwall as a youngster before ending up in a West Country academy run by former Leeds and Forest Green manager Dave Hockaday.
Bristol City signed him in 2017 but he needed loan spells at Bath, Newport and Sunderland before breaking into the Robins first team in 2020-21.
In January 2023, he made the £10m move to Bournemouth - and he has been improving ever since.
"I think he is a player with confidence," said boss Andoni Iraola.
"It has been growing with him. He has played in other divisions, earning his way into the Premier League. He is very fundamental for us."
His numbers are through the roof now. He is first in the Premier League for duels won, first for possession won in the final third, second for sprints and top five for dribbles. Plus all those goals of course.
Team-mate Kluivert said: "He is incredible. He shows it every game now. He is just world class."
