Ghana international Antoine Semenyo has expressed excitement about Manchester City’s new tactical direction under manager Enzo Maresca, revealing that the Italian coach’s instructions for wingers perfectly suit his style of play.
Maresca officially began his tenure as City boss with a pre-season encounter against Inter Milan in Hong Kong, giving supporters an early glimpse of the attacking approach he hopes to introduce after replacing legendary manager Pep Guardiola.
Although City eventually lost on penalties, the performance showcased Maresca’s attacking philosophy, with wide players given more freedom to operate in advanced positions and take on defenders in one-on-one situations.
Semenyo was handed a starting role in the match and impressed during his 45-minute appearance, troubling Inter Milan full-back Andy Diouf with his pace, strength and direct approach.
The Ghana forward also played a key role in City’s opening goal, providing the assist for Divine Mukasa’s finish.
Another player who caught Maresca’s attention was substitute Ryan McAidoo, whose energetic display reinforced the manager’s preference for aggressive wingers capable of beating opponents in individual battles.
Maresca praised both Semenyo and McAidoo as examples of the type of wide attackers he wants in his squad — players who are fearless, attack spaces and create danger in one-on-one situations.
Reflecting on the new manager’s philosophy, Semenyo said Maresca’s appointment immediately excited him because of the freedom his wingers enjoyed during his time at Chelsea.
“When he got appointed, that was the first thing I thought about because when you’ve played Chelsea previously when he was there, his wide men were always high and quite free.
“So that was one of the things that excited me the most when he got appointed, and it’s exciting for me as a winger. I get to have one-v-one situations most of the game, and I am looking forward to it.”
The 26-year-old also revealed that he has already held individual discussions with Maresca about his role and expectations under the new system.
“I have had individual meetings with him on how he wants to set up, how he wants to play his wide men and just overall as a team.”
Semenyo believes Maresca’s approach shares similarities with Guardiola’s football but also introduces fresh attacking ideas that could allow City’s wingers to have a greater impact.
“I think his ideas are great, quite similar to Pep, but if you watched the [Inter] game, you would have seen a couple of his ideas play out, and it was good. Enzo is just [stay] out wide and when you get the ball, just create opportunities. So it is music to my ears.”
Having arrived at Manchester City with a reputation as one of the Premier League’s most dynamic attackers, Semenyo appears set to play an important role in Maresca’s plans.
With a system that encourages width, freedom and direct attacking play, the Ghana forward is confident he can thrive under the new City boss as the club begins a new era after Guardiola’s successful reign.
