The summer transfer window belonged to wingers and forwards. In the Premier League, especially, clubs paid a fortune for them.
Liverpool agreed to pay an initial £69m for Hugo Ekitike, who scored 15 goals in Germany for Eintracht Frankfurt last term. Dortmund, famed for their difficult negotiating skills, forced £48.5m out of Chelsea for the relatively inexperienced Jamie Gittens. Arsenal will also pay an initial fee of £48.5m plus £3.5m for the services of Noni Madueke. Manchester United, the Premier League’s most successful team, made a big splash – £55m for Bryan Mbuemo, £62.5 m and £73.7m for Benjamin Sesko.
Yet, for all the significant moves, the best performance of the opening weekend came from Antoine Semenyo. The Ghanaian blew Liverpool’s defense apart with two goals on Friday night as Bournemouth lost 4-2 at Anfield. A mix of intelligence, anticipation, and athleticism produced Semenyo’s first.
With Brooks bearing down the left, the Ghanaian knew exactly where the ball would end up even before the Welsh midfielder squared it into the box.
Knowing where the ball would end up, Semenyo wasted no time, breezing past Liverpool’s Andy Robertson to finish off the chance with his weaker foot. The second was even better; a supreme finish that summed up Semenyo’s evolution into a top-level forward.
He received the ball on the edge of Bournemouth’s penalty area, produced a lung-busting run to cover the full length of the pitch before finishing, again, with his weaker foot.
But the beauty of it lies not just in the finish that left Liverpool keeper Allison Becker planted to the spot. Nor was it about the brief moment where he appeared to send Virgil Van Dijk to Paramaribo in his mother’s Suriname. It was about the audacity to hold on to the ball; to trust himself despite having several teammates unmarked. It was the fact that he knew he was going to score.
Semenyo knows he is Bournemouth’s best attacker, and on Friday, he carried the swagger that reflects it. The Ghanaian has come a long way from the diamond in the rough that he was a few years ago. In his first season, Semenyo produced eight goals and two assists in the 23/24 campaign. The numbers got better the following season when he managed 11 goals and five assists.
Yet, Semenyo’s progress is not just a numbers game. But many other minute details that cannot be quantified.
His power and shooting have been obvious for some time now. But he is using the power legs in a different, more efficient way.
The shots are cleaner and quicker, often from angles that favor him and reduce goalkeepers to spectators. His shot for the second goal on Friday was executed right at the moment when he created an extra inch of space and time for himself. The touch to set it up was perfect, taking it far enough away from Van Dijk, but close enough for him to fire away with his left foot.
In one game, Semenyo has proven why his decision to renew his contract in July was not only a brilliant one, but also assures Bournemouth of a potential £70 million sale next summer.
A Brazilian in Ghanaian skin
A day after Semenyo’s brilliance, Mohammed Kudus took his turn on the stage amidst anticipation and intrigue.
Intrigue because of Kudus’ varied skillset and ability to thrive in multiple tactical roles, and Spurs coach Thomas Frank’s tactical flexibility.
On Wednesday, Kudus started as one of two strikers against PSG as Spurs suffered a penalty shootout loss in the UEFA Super Cup. It was the third different role Kudus has played since joining Spurs.
In ninety minutes against Burnley, the Ghanaian proved why Thomas Frank is very comfortable with shifting him across the Spurs attack. Kudus provided two assists to Richarlison as Spurs completed a resounding 3-0 win.
For someone who has been criticized for sometimes holding on to the ball for too long, Saturday was a refreshing departure from the norm.
The first of his two assists saw him in a sea of claret shirts, but he found space to send a simple yet effective cross to Richarlison. It had the right weight and height behind it, allowing Richarlison to simply connect.
The second was more like Kudus. Time seemed to stand still.
Quilindschy Hartman was trapped in time.
The whole stadium came to a standstill when Kudus controlled the ball just before the hour mark. What followed was simple yet delightful; with the drop of his shoulder, he left Hartman, who was by then dazed, for dead, pushing the ball into space and away.
The Dutchman only woke up after the noise of the 62,850 supporters jolted him out of his hypnosis. It was too late by then, as Kudus tailored a cross to Richarlison, who volleyed it to him for Spurs’ second.
Beyond the assists, Kudus created five chances and was involved in another chance.
When he came off with five minutes remaining, Kudus received a standing ovation.
It was fitting for their new star.
At full-time, Richarlison described him as a Brazilian in Ghanaian skin. And why not?
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DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
