Antoine Semenyo: Bournemouth's world class winger fires them to 'unthinkable' heights

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."

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."

Bournemouth boss Iraola will be a coach in demand when he decides to move on.

The 43-year-old Basque has been in charge since 2023 after the surprise sacking of Gary O'Neil.

Many were not happy at the time, with Iraola not being a household name - and having only managed AEK Larnaca, Mirandes and Rayo Vallecano.

But the appointment has been a remarkable success, with the club finishing 12th and then ninth.

They have never been as high as second in the top flight more than two games into a season.

Apart from his impressive work in maintaining a successful team, even when it seemed all their stars were leaving in the summer, his tactics were spot on on Friday.

For six minutes he had three defenders on the pitch instead of four. And that changed the game.

In the 78th minute he brought on a winger for a defender. They were 1-0 down.

In the 85th minute, he brought on a winger for a defender. They were 2-1 up.

"We had to take risks and put on more offensive players and it worked," he said. "The players have to make the difference and today they made it."

Kluivert said: "He is incredible. If you see also the guys that have left the team, how we are doing at the moment is incredible.

"I always say that the driver of the bus is the coach and he is driving us a crazy route. Amazing driver, so we follow him."

Redknapp said: "Iraola could manage any team in world football.

"He improves players, everything they do is exciting. They have to enjoy him while he is here. How long? Who knows?

"Can they keep doing the unthinkable, like getting into the top six? They deserve it and anything is possible as long as they keep the manager because he is that big an asset for the club."

Many felt that Bournemouth overachieved when they finished ninth last season - and for a while there was even talk of Europe.

And then three of their back four - Illia Zabarnyi, Milos Kerkez and Dean Huijsen - left for some of Europe's top clubs for almost £150m.

And they failed to make goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga's loan move from Chelsea permanent - with the Spaniard joining Arsenal instead.

They recouped over £200m by the time you add in forward Dango Ouattara's exit to Brentford.

Their defence this season is a mix of new signings and players who were already there.

Left-back Adrien Truffert, a signing from Rennes, and centre-back Marcos Senesi - who joined in 2022 - have played every Premier League game.

Centre-back Bafode Diakite, who joined from Lille, has played in all bar one game - and four other defenders have started at least one league match.

Goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic, who joined from Kepa's old club Chelsea, has played every minute so far.

Even before Friday's game they had won possession more times than any other Premier League team, taken part in more duels and made more recoveries than anyone else.

Their players also made more sprints and the lowest passes per defensive action - which is an indication of how much pressing they do.

They lead the way on long passes and clearances too.

And where could they finish?

"We keep humble because the season is long," said Kluivert. "But who knows, who knows? We go for the biggest possible [highest finish]."

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