Maresca’s Impact on City’s Attack
Antoine Semenyo, a forward for Manchester City, has expressed his approval of new manager Enzo Maresca’s playing style, describing it as “music to my ears.” This sentiment follows Maresca’s first match in charge, where City faced Inter Milan in Hong Kong. Although City lost on penalties, the team displayed an offensive approach that Semenyo found exciting.
Semenyo played for the initial 45 minutes of the game, creating difficulties for Inter’s Andy Diouf with his speed and direct runs. He was instrumental in setting up Divin Mubama’s goal for City. Substitute Ryan McAidoo also made an impression during the match.
Maresca commented on the performance of his wingers, stating they are the “kind of wingers I love” due to their aggressive play and ability to engage in “one-v-one” situations. Semenyo noted that he had anticipated this style, recalling Maresca’s previous tenure at Chelsea where his wide players were positioned high and had significant freedom.
The forward highlighted that this approach allows him to frequently engage in one-on-one situations, which he looks forward to. He also mentioned having individual discussions with Maresca about the team’s setup and how the wide players are expected to perform. Semenyo believes Maresca’s ideas are “great” and share similarities with those of former manager Pep Guardiola.
Transition and Personal Beliefs
Semenyo joined Manchester City from Bournemouth for a reported £65m during the January transfer window. He stated that interest in him began in early December, with his decision to join City made the following month. He expressed gratitude to his former club, Bournemouth, for helping his Premier League career develop and for the smooth transition facilitated by their management and staff.
Last season, Semenyo scored a total of 21 goals for both club and country. He scored the winning goal in the FA Cup final victory over Chelsea, which he described as a “dream come true.” He also lifted the Carabao Cup.
Semenyo is a devout Christian, with faith-based tattoos. He was baptised last December by a local pastor, an event he had wanted to do for a long time but was prevented from due to his football schedule. He stated his intention to maximise his faith and mentioned praying before games and with teammates Jeremy Doku and Marc Guehi the night before matches, which he believes provides them with “maximum strength.”
When asked about the priority of his faith, Semenyo affirmed that it comes before football, stating, “I wouldn’t be here without him [God].” He attributes his talent, skills, and mindset to God, feeling a responsibility to perform and share his beliefs with the world.
Pre-season Observations and Team Dynamics
The match against Inter Milan was Manchester City’s first pre-season game under Maresca. The starting XI included Donnarumma, Lewis, Khusanov, Gvardiol, Mfuni, Kovacic, Reijnders, Savinho, Foden, Semenyo, and Mubama. Notably absent from the squad were several players, including Erling Haaland, Nico O’Reilly, Marc Guehi, Jeremy Doku, Rayan Cherki, Elliot Anderson, Ruben Dias, and Matheus Nunes. Rodri is also recovering from back surgery.
Gianluigi Donnarumma, Rico Lewis, and Abdukodir Khusanov played the entire 90 minutes of the match. Semenyo’s performance, particularly his burst down the left wing and assist for Divin Mubama’s goal, made him a standout player. He also forced Josep Martinez into a save after a solo run.
Phil Foden captained the City XI in this match. Savinho, who started the game, is reportedly linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur. The match concluded with Inter equalising and winning the Asahi Super Dry Trophy in a penalty shootout.
Source: bbc.com
