{"id":3061,"date":"2026-02-10T01:09:54","date_gmt":"2026-02-10T01:09:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rendergh.net\/?p=3061"},"modified":"2026-02-10T01:09:54","modified_gmt":"2026-02-10T01:09:54","slug":"semenyo-discusses-guardiola-and-secret-behind-his-fast-start-at-etihad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rendergh.net\/fr\/semenyo-discusses-guardiola-and-secret-behind-his-fast-start-at-etihad\/","title":{"rendered":"Semenyo discusses Guardiola and secret behind his fast start at Etihad"},"content":{"rendered":"

In a month that has felt like several seasons rolled into one, Antoine Semenyo<\/strong> has wasted no time making his mark at Manchester City<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Since completing his January move from Bournemouth<\/strong>, the 26-year-old forward has hit the ground sprinting at the Etihad, scoring six goals<\/strong> in a seamless transition from mid-table battles to the intensity of a title race. His impact has mirrored the form he showed at the Vitality Stadium, but the speed of his adaptation has raised an obvious question: how does a player settle so effortlessly into Pep Guardiola\u2019s Manchester City mid-season?<\/p>\n

For Semenyo, the answer began with a simple message.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first thing he said to me when I came was just continue playing your game,\u201d Semenyo told Sky Sports<\/em>. \u201cPlay free, express yourself, shoot, dribble, do whatever feels right for you.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe doesn\u2019t want me to take away from my game just because it\u2019s a passing team and we keep the ball. There are going to be moments where I can express myself, and that gives me a lot of confidence.\u201d<\/p>\n

Guardiola, often criticised for a supposedly rigid, system-first approach, appears to have found renewed space for individual flair within his setup \u2014 and Semenyo has been one of the biggest beneficiaries. The Ghana international\u2019s direct running, physicality and instinctive finishing have added a different dimension to City\u2019s attack.<\/p>\n

Explaining what he has learned under Guardiola so far, Semenyo revealed the fine tactical details that have sharpened his game.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like the way Pep wants to play, it\u2019s about committing defenders,\u201d he said. \u201cYou want to commit midfielders too. Once the space opens up, you either drive into it or go in behind.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s so many little things I wouldn\u2019t normally think about, but he thinks about everything. Now I\u2019m thinking about it because of what he says all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n

That tactical clarity, combined with the quality around him, has made settling in easier than he imagined.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdjusting to this system has been key for me,\u201d Semenyo added. \u201cThe players around me make it so easy. They\u2019re always positive, always giving instructions, and they set me up to score goals. They make life easy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Life at City is a world away from what Semenyo was used to, but he has stepped into a winning machine still geared for success, even if the club has fallen slightly short of its previously dominant standards. Remarkably, it took him just 26 days<\/strong> to reach his first-ever cup final<\/strong> with his new club.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt feels crazy,\u201d he admitted while speaking at the Adidas Pred v F50: The Game<\/em> event. \u201cHonestly, I\u2019ve never been in a final before. I\u2019m just pinching myself.<\/p>\n

\u201cPlaying against Arsenal \u2014 it\u2019s going to be a top final, a top team. These are the moments every footballer dreams of. I\u2019m lucky I\u2019m living that reality.\u201d<\/p>\n

Guardiola, however, will be keen to ensure his players do not feel \u201clucky\u201d to be there. City remain alive on four fronts, with fixtures coming thick and fast. Next up is a trip to Anfield<\/strong> to face Liverpool<\/strong> \u2014 a fixture that has become English football\u2019s answer to El Cl\u00e1sico<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Semenyo knows the ground well. He scored twice there for Bournemouth on the opening day of the season and is relishing the chance to do it again on Super Sunday<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a statement game,\u201d he said. \u201cProbably one of our most important games of the season. We want to go there, pose our threats and be victorious.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs an outsider, it\u2019s always been incredible to watch. But being part of it is a different level. These games put fire in your belly.\u201d<\/p>\n

If the season ended now, Semenyo would already be enjoying the most prolific campaign of his senior career. But personal milestones are not enough.<\/p>\n

Freedom alone does not satisfy him either.<\/p>\n

\u201cI always thought I wanted to be part of Man City,\u201d he said. \u201cBut the hard work continues. If we want to be as successful as the previous City teams, we need to catch up with Arsenal and win the other trophies we\u2019re in.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere have been results that didn\u2019t go our way, some draws here and there. Before the Newcastle game, the manager told us we need that fire in our bellies again.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat fire is what\u2019s going to start a new run for us. Hopefully, being victorious at the end of the season is the plan.\u201d<\/p>\n

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In a month that has felt like several seasons rolled into one, Antoine Semenyo has wasted no time making his mark at Manchester City. Since completing his January move from Bournemouth, the 26-year-old forward has hit the ground sprinting at the Etihad, scoring six goals in a seamless transition from mid-table battles to the intensity […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3062,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[149],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3061","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rendergh.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3061","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rendergh.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rendergh.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rendergh.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rendergh.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3061"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/rendergh.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3061\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3063,"href":"https:\/\/rendergh.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3061\/revisions\/3063"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rendergh.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3062"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rendergh.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3061"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rendergh.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3061"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rendergh.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3061"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}