Remember that well-known scene in “The Shining” when Jack Nicholson’s Jack Torrance breaks by the lavatory door with an axe and yells “Heeeeere’s Johnny!” while Shelley Duvall’s Wendy screams in horror? I really feel that’s a powerful metaphor for what’s presently taking place with Manchester City the place on this situation, the opposite groups within the league are taking part in the position of Wendy, Manchester City is the axe and Erling Haaland is Jack.
After a poor marketing campaign in 2024-25, the place Pep Guardiola’s facet struggled and ultimately fought extraordinarily exhausting to earn a Champions League spot however not with out dropping their title to Liverpool, City pressed the reset button and did a full makeover of their squad.
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Fast ahead to the current and the Citizens are rediscovering their id as soon as once more. After a sluggish begin to the season, primarily as a consequence of fatigue after the Club World Cup, City is now discovering momentum. The two straight losses towards Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton and Hove Albion again in August had been the final instances City suffered defeat in all competitions. Since then, it has received each sport except for two (Arsenal and Monaco) and that was primarily as a consequence of self-inflicting wounds. In the Premier League, because of Sunday’s —— hard-fought victory towards Brentford City, it’s now moved to fifth, solely three factors behind desk chief Arsenal.
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Overall, there are lots of good performances, from Jeremy Doku to Phil Foden, in addition to new signings reminiscent of Italian stopper Gianluigui Donnarumma to midfield maestro Tijjani Reijnders, the crew is fluid, urgent at will and scoring targets. In reality, City are the highest scorers of the league and sure, it’s primarily down to 1 man: Erling Haaland. The Norwegian striker now has 9 league targets and that was achieved after scoring a brace within the Champions League on Wednesday, making his total tally within the competitors to 52 targets in 50 appearances. There’s no different method to say it actually, he’s taking part in to superhuman ranges.
Now, issues usually are not excellent for City as these aforementioned attracts towards Arsenal and Monaco have proven that they’ve a present situation of conceding late targets in order that’s one thing Guardiola must assess through the worldwide break. At least towards Brentford, it held on and earned the three factors. Rodri was additionally pressured to come back off towards Brentford and sadly, the rehabilitation course of after surgical procedure as a consequence of a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his proper knee, which additionally affected the meniscus, has not been easy.
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But not like final season, Man City now has a plan that goes past the reliance on the Spanish Ballon d’Or winner. Now, it’s solely October and there may be loads of soccer to be performed however each different membership wants to concentrate as a result of Manchester City is getting its mojo again. It’s not there but, however undoubtedly getting nearer. It is slowly strolling up the steps, getting nearer and nearer to the lavatory door, able to yell “Heeeeere’s Johnny!”
The very, very particular Estêvão
Enzo Maresca ran 50 yards simply so he might rejoice together with his gamers. He was despatched off in consequence, nevertheless it was completely price it. Stamford Bridge erupted. São Paolo too, in all probability. Chelsea was in ecstatic delirium and it was all as a result of 18-year-old Estêvão Willian, who was signed as a young person from Palmeiras, formally launched himself to the Premier League on Saturday with a ninety fifth minute winner that sealed a 2-1 victory over Liverpool.
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The purpose was clearly the exclamation level however even earlier than that, the Brazilian nicknamed Messinho was inflicting havoc together with his dribbling and creativity from the seventy fifth minute when he got here on the pitch. Here was Liverpool, the league defending champion, and Estêvão was taking part in as if he had been on the playground and Arne Slot’s facet was only a group of younger youngsters. It’s what makes him so particular and Saturday’s euphoric purpose was precisely why Chelsea needed him within the first place. It’s why that they had been aggressively monitoring his journey since he was 15.
For Palmeiras, he left with 27 targets and 15 assists. In a season, he earned 20 purpose contributions in Brazil’s Serie A, changing into the primary under-18 participant to do it, beating Neymar’s earlier report. At the Club World Cup, taking part in towards Chelsea in his closing sport for the Brazilians, he scored a improbable purpose and continued to ship jaw-dropping highlights. Almost each main membership needed him however he selected Chelsea. Even although there’s a plan to ensure he isn’t rushed, the rewards are paying off at a sooner fee as a consequence of Cole Palmer’s absence as a consequence of harm.
There’s no denying it. Estêvão is a particular expertise and this weekend was simply one other instance why the Premier League is fortunate to have him. Inside the youngest crew of the Premier League, the ceiling for this 18-year-old is extraordinarily excessive.
Semenyo, Bournemouth’s improbable trajectory
Since the arrival of Andoni Iroala in 2023, Bournemouth’s path has been very spectacular.
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Last season, the Cherries ended ninth within the desk, incomes a membership record-breaking 56 factors equaling their finest ever placement within the league. Back in the summertime, nevertheless, followers had been nervous as there have been quite a lot of participant departures and turnaround. Some main names left the membership together with Dean Huijsen (Real Madrid) and Milos Kerkez (Liverpool). All in all, it was greater than £200 million of outgoings and simply lower than half the 2024-25 beginning XI left the membership.
But Bournemouth knew precisely what it was doing for a couple of causes. First, the recruitment division, led by president of soccer operations Tiago Pinto knew that success is predicated on gamers that match the tradition of the membership and Iraola’s high-octane system so so long as that technique sticks, the crew can be effective. Second, and most significantly, they held on to their most vital asset: 25-year-old Antonie Semenyo. The Ghana worldwide was attracting quite a lot of consideration however signed a new deal in July as a result of he felt he was at a membership that valued him and might assist him develop. How proper he was.
On Friday, Semenyo earned a brace and an help, serving to his crew come again from behind to beat Fulham 3-1 and ended the weekend in fifth place with 14 factors, solely two behind the desk chief Arsenal. Semenyo now additionally has six targets this season in addition to three assists, making him the purpose contributions chief within the league. But he is not only about numbers as a result of virtually each time he picks up the ball, it appears like one thing unimaginable is about to occur, which was the case on Friday as his first purpose was a chunk of particular person brilliance.
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But once more, Semenyo’s type — and Bournemouth’s fantastic begin to the season — is a testomony to Iroala, who has constructed a spine-chilling crew of hungry, devoted go-getters. No different crew within the league wins the ball greater than Bournemouth. No different crew sprints extra both. Every single section of play is an announcement of intent as they overwhelm the opponent till the final minute. The greatest query mark, as all the time, can be if Iraola’s system can keep itself in a marathon-esque season. But that’s for later to decipher as a result of for now, all I need to do is take pleasure in Bournemouth and Semenyo’s improbable run.