And, like that, he’s gone. Although his rise was a patient one, over a sustained period of time, Antoine Semenyo has still felt like part of the furniture at Bristol City. An eternal presence in the team or on the bench and his sale to Bournemouth unquestionably leaves the Robins short in the final third.
Semenyo was more than just a goalscorer. The sheer terror he would inject into defenders, often saw his teammates the beneficiaries of his incisive and penetrative forward play.
City must now look to break down opposition defences via different ways and means, starting with the visit of West Brom in the fourth round of the FA Cup which provides a neat bellwether as to the team’s progress in 2023.
Just over a month to the day, City were booed off following a bruising Boxing Day defeat at the hands of the improving Baggies which cast doubt over whether Nigel Pearson would finish the year in charge. Since then, they haven’t lost a game and look more solid, compact and are still proving a threat at the top end of the pitch.
It may not carry quite the same importance as the Championship but it’s an opportunity to show further improvement, advance in the competition, where a glamour tie could lurk, and ensure the momentum built up post-Boxing Day, very much remains.
Here’s how we think City will line up…
Goalkeeper and defence
At one point Max O’Leary was possibly mimicking the famous Will Smith meme from the Fresh Prince of Bel Air of him stood, hands in pockets, inside a cavernous and empty living room; Stefan Bajic has been loaned to Valenciennes, Dan Bentley sold to Wolves and Harvey Wiles-Richards seems to be frolicking with dolphins in Dubai (so Instagram tells us, anyway).
But City have added another goalkeeper in this window, and a potentially impressive one at that, in the form of Nikita Haikin who has signed on a short-term deal until the end of the season having most recently been with Bodo Glimt in Norway.
Pearson has already admitted that today’s cup tie comes a little too soon for the 27-year-old which means O’Leary will continue in goal but has a new man to warm up with, as Josey Casa-Grande will likely take the third spot.
There will be one enforced change in defence as Cam Pring is suspended, due to successive bookings against Swansea, so that allows Jay Dasilva a path back into the side in what will likely be his first start since Watford on November 12, prior to the World Cup break. It was the FA Cup that enabled him to force his way back into Pearson’s thinking last season, and it’ll be interesting if he can grasp the opportunity again.
This is, of course, based on the idea of City lining up with a flat back four which has been the manager’s preferred system since the second half of the third round tie against Swansea City a fortnight ago.
Working on that logic, George Tanner will surely be at right-back and Zak Vyner and Rob Atkinson forming the centre-back pairing.
There is a case for giving Tomas Kalas a start following his recovery from a knee injury, as the Czech made the matchday 18 against Blackburn Rovers, but Vyner and Atkinson are performing well as a pair and Pearson doesn’t want to risk damaging their developing chemistry and understanding.
Midfield
Based on Pearson’s rationale that he wants to build on, and hopefully extend, City’s unbeaten run in 2023, City’s midfield three should remain in place from their previous six fixtures: Matty James and Kal Naismith as the holding players with Alex Scott in a more advanced role.
There is an argument that presents Joe Williams an opportunity to start but with no midweek game to be concerned about, Pearson has no reason to alter what is his starting unit in this area of the pitch. James and Naismith give a nice right foot/left foot balance and then Scott adds the creativity and offensive elegance behind the attacking trio.
Williams should get on the field in the second half, to keep him primed for Preston North End if he’s required but the Scouser just has to bide his time.
What will be interesting in these positions is what happens on the bench as Pearson has hinted at some younger faces and has the option of naming nine substitutes. Dylan Kadji and Omar Taylor-Clarke should occupy two of them, while there could also be the sight of Elijah Morrison, alongside the veteran presence of Andy King.
While we’re discussing substitutes, and although he’s not really a midfielder, it’s worth mentioning that Kane Wilson is continuing his recovery from a knee injury. The wing-back will undoubtedly be eased back into action and while this game could be an opportunity for him to be part of the squad again, it says in the matchday programme he'll be watching from the stands. So there you go.
Attack
There is a Semenyo-sized hole to fill in the front three and it won’t be occupied by Tommy Conway, who’s out for at least another six weeks, potentially more, nor is it likely to be Andi Weimann with Pearson slightly uncertain over the Austrian’s availability.
Weimann has been out for the last two weeks with a hamstring injury but it seems wise to predict his return will be at Deepdale next weekend rather than in BS3.
As for that left-sided berth, with Mark Sykes on the right and Nahki Wells through the middle, unless Chris Martin is to launch a spectacular comeback story, Sam Bell should be handed the start to build on his impressive cameos off the bench.
The 20-year-old has started games for the Robins before, of course, but they’ve tended to be in an unfamiliar wing-back role and an home FA Cup tie presents the ideal opportunity to field him a wide attacking position and see what he can do.
With Semenyo gone, and Conway’s timeline slightly unclear, there’s every chance he can be an important player down the second half of the season. If he proves, as Pearson anticipates, he is ready.
Bristol City (4-3-3): Max O’Leary; George Tanner, Zak Vyner, Rob Atkinson, Jay Dasilva; Matty James, Kal Naismith, Alex Scott; Mark Sykes, Nahki Wells, Sam Bell
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