Jordan Zemura produced a second consecutive Man of the Match performance as the 21-year-old full-back starred in AFC Bournemouth’s 2-1 win over Queens Park Rangers.
Zemura followed up on his two-goal display against Barnsley with yet another eye-catching performance against QPR to help lift the Cherries into second place in the Championship.
The 21-year-old started his playing career at the Hoops, joining the club at the age of six, before eventually ending up at Bournemouth in 2019 where he seems to have found his feet.
He was a constant menace down the left flank, showing great tenacity in defence while also displaying superb speed and footwork in the attack.
Despite picking up an early booking in the match, the full-back showed great maturity in only his 12th professional appearance to keep his composure and help Bournemouth survive a bombardment of attacks in the opening 10 minutes from QPR.
Zemura, who won the Supporters’ August Player of the Month award, was once again the standout man for the Cherries winning back possession on the most occasions (8) as well as having the most touches (69), and completing the most passes (31) for his club.
There was a moment of magic in each half from the 21-year-old that showcased all of his talents. He was the driving force in the Bournemouth side and often turned defence into attack by displaying his brilliant dribbling and quick feet.
In the first half, he carved the Hoops’ defence wide open with a direct run from deep where he eased past Osman Kakay and Rob Dickie to deliver a dangerous cross. Zemura then followed that up in the second half by latching onto a loose ball before chopping and weaving through the crowd and forcing a fine save from Seny Dieng.
Although the left-back was unable to get on the scoresheet against QPR, he did manage to score his first two senior career goals in the previous fixture against Barnsley where all of his attacking attributes were once again on full display.
His emergence from the development squad has significantly strengthened Bournemouth and he’s quickly become one of the first names on the team sheet under manager Scott Parker.
Despite his small stature, the full-back is more than capable of pulling his weight when defending and has a relentlessness that is a nightmare for any winger to come up against.
Zemura’s talents have allowed Parker to deploy Lloyd Kelly in his more natural role as a centre back, while also giving Bournemouth much more attacking impetus down the left flank.
His rise has come simultaneously with the 21-year-old’s close friend Jaidon Anthony and their partnership down the left side for the Cherries is one that is blossoming in the Championship. The pair have a great understanding of each other’s game and the work ethic that is the minimum requirement under Parker.
The partnership was such a threat against the Hoops that the QPR manager Mark Warburton was forced to end a torrid night early for Kakay, by substituting the full-back in the 55th minute.
Having trialled for Chelsea in his teenage years, Zemura’s talents have clearly been visible from a young age and playing regularly for Bournemouth in the Championship has started to prove that potential.
The ceiling for the 21-year-old is extremely high and he will continue to play a key part in Bournemouth’s promotion push this season.
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