Farid Boulaya: Algeria’s joker at AFCON?
When Djamel Belmadi won the AFCON with Algeria in 2019, it was with Baghdad Bounedjah, Riyadh Mahrez and Youcef Belaili up top. The Foxes lived up to their name, serving up performances that set tongues wagging with effortless grace and swagger. The oft direct and quick transitioning moves were mixed with moments of genius from Adam Ounas and Riyadh Mahrez as well as delectable free flowing football. They simply knew when to bite, and they sure bit hard. However, as with every winning team, evolution is an essence.
Enter style of play, personnel adjustments, and tactical tweaks. The Algerian manager has shown this subsequently, with Les Verts still unbeaten since a 1-0 loss to Benin in 2018. However, a quite interesting move that seemingly flew under the radar was the call-up of uncapped 28-year old Farid Boulaya in October 2020, post-lockdown.
Boulaya has become a part of the Les Verts set-up since that debut against Nigeria, and made three appearances while scoring one goal. Many would point to Zinedine Ferhat, Hicham Boudaoui, Haris Belkebla, Mehdi Zerkane and Ramiz Zerrouki as perhaps younger and more efficient options, but it is Boulaya who stands above the lot as Djamel Belmadi seeks a joker who could alter the pH of games in Cameroon and beyond.
A midfielder who can also play as a wide forward, Boulaya plays for Metz in the French Ligue 1. Born in Vitrolles, in the Cote d'Azur region of France, he honed his skills in the French lower divisions with Istres and Clermont Foot, graduating from the Istres academy in 2011. He warmed hearts with his long range shooting and penchant for weighted long balls, as well as an ability to pick spaces where they seemingly aren't existent. His 5'11" frame perhaps helping in this regard. He has since grown to a full Ligue 1 player, and has had his best output in the just concluded 2020/21 season.
It however could be at the AFCON that he would prove a Blitzkrieg.
Underlying Numbers:
Somewhat of a late bloomer, Boulaya has grown in leaps and bounds, emerging as the 8th best of the group of players who started 30 or more games in the Ligue 1 this season according to Whoscored. He contributed 14 of Metz's 44 Ligue 1 goals (that is 32% of their total tally). There are only few players with equally such numbers: Kylian Mbappe, Ludovic Ajorque, Burak Yilmaz, Gaetan Laborde, Andy Delort and Memphis Depay. It's an exclusive list, and his overall contributions explain why Metz were able to consolidate on a fine start to the season despite the injury to Senegalese hitman Ibrahim Niane.
His 0.83 shots per 90 ranks him in the top 2 percent rankings of that metric. He is above the 92nd percentile in progressive passing distance (218.73km per 90), key passes per 90 (2.37) and passes into the final third per 90 (4.67). He is a high risk taker, and it reflects in his shot-creating actions per 90 (4.73) while also boasting a 93rd percentile ranking for total progressive carries per 90.
Boulaya is ambidextrous but predominantly uses his right foot. It is no surprise they make up most of his goals, with free kicks, and curlers that ripple the net like ocean waves. His sleekness and finesse come off with consummate ease and it is why he commits defenders easily. Whether on the right, left or thru the centre, he conveniently makes the game look easy, and ensures his strikers see the game better. Metz have greatly benefitted from these situations with his goal/assist contributions directly winning 18 of their 47points. It surely would appeal to Belmadi who seems to have a fixed 11 at this juncture for Algeria. However, should the Foxes run into any sort of trouble, there is an exciting solution on the bench.