Saïd Benrahma

DOB: 10/8/1995 (24)

Nationality: Algeria

Club: Brentford FC

Position: Winger/Attacking Midfielder

Tactical:

In Thomas Frank’s talented Brentford side, Benrahma usually plays off the left side of a 4-3-3 formation, which makes him one of 3 talented forwards in Brentford’s attack that have scored almost 60 goals this season between the three of them, the other two being Ollie Watkins and Bryan Mbeumo. When Brentford are out of possession and defending, Benrahma will usually slowly drop back into the defensive third to help out the fullback, and will also move into a deeper #6 or #8 role as well when Brentford are defending, but this happens rarely. He is also not scared of contact, and while defending, will try and win possession back by going into a 1v1 with the player that has the ball. Also, while the opposition has possession, Benrahma likes to look for the open channels in case one of his teammates wins back possession so he can break off on a dangerous counter attack. Benrahma has a solid defensive work rate, and would be a great fit if he were to move to a bigger club that play a counter attacking style like Brentford do under Thomas Frank.

While Brentford have possession, Benrahma likes to do a few things. Usually, he will drop into the half spaces to receive the ball, as it seems he doesn’t like to wait for the ball to come to him, he would rather move towards the ball so he can turn and use his superb dribbling ability to work his way past the opposition. He also likes to either play right up against the touchline or work his way inside more. When Brentford’s left back moves forward, Benrahma usually likes to move further inside and make underlapping runs as opposed to overlapping, as he would rather dribble his way into the box to then cut inside and cross or pass with his right then use pure pace to outrun the opposition on the flank. He will also occasionally switch flanks with Mbeumo, which I feel is done to try and manipulate better matchups with the two in 1v1 duels. Benrahma will also drift centrally as well and has all the ability to play there, but he is normally lined up on the left in Frank’s preferred 4-3-3.

In regards to set pieces, when Brentford are defending a dead ball situation, Benrahma will usually sit in a two man wall for Brentford that defends the goalkeepers near post, and if not, will be situated in the main wall. For defending corners, he stays on the edge of the 18-yard box so he has the ability to break free on a counter if the ball drops to a Brentford player. When his side have a corner, Benrahma usually is the option short, so if he receives the ball he can whip in a pinpoint cross, or he can use his dribbling ability to try and work his way into the box. On free kicks, Benrahma is the dead ball specialist for Brentford, and usually takes over any free kick that is within 30-35 yards of goal.

Technical:

Technically, one can argue that Benrahma is the best in the Championship. He is a player that has it all: dribbling, finishing, and passing as well. His dribbling ability is up there with the very best in the second tier of English football. He likes to use his low center of gravity to his advantage, with him easily able to weave through multiple defenders at a time, and does get fouled often because of his trickery. While Benrahma favors his right foot, he is very much a two footed player. He has the ability to use both of his feet to dribble past opposition defenders with ease. While he does like to cut back onto his right foot to either take a shot or to cross into the box, he will also cross into the box with his left if he doesn’t have the space to work it onto his favored foot. He has great control, and does not usually have poor control of the ball when he receives it in the air or on the ground. He is also able to keep the ball close to his body at all times and can turn on a dime and still have the ball in his possession, while his low center of gravity makes it hard for opponents to win the ball off of him.

While Benrahma has a lot of admirers because of his dribbling ability, his ability to put the ball in the back of the net cannot be understated. He is someone who shows a good amount of composure in front of goal, with almost all of the shots that he attempts at least being on target. With 17 goals in the Championship this season as well, he also is very good at scoring from the wing as well. Benrahma really likes to try and drive to the edge of the 18-yard box and then cut inside to try and finesse it top corner on his right foot. However, he also will go near post low to try and catch the keeper out. His ability to put the ball in the back of the net partnered with his fantastic dribbling ability reminds me a lot of Riyad Mahrez, but on the left side instead of the right.

Finally, Benrahma’s vision is second to none. He sees passes that not many other players in the Championship can see. He has the ability to spot teammate runs before anyone else and pick them out with a perfectly placed cross or cross-field ball. He does need to work on his distribution a bit however, with him completing less than 80% of the passes he has attempted this season, but his crosses are second to none when it comes to picking out teammates in dangerous positions. He can cross with his right or his left, however his right is usually favored as well in crossing or passing situations. His eight assists in the Championship this season shows that he is a team player, and he will pick out the right pass if it presents itself rather than trying to shoot himself. All in all, Benrahma’s technical ability is probably the best in the Championship this season.

Physical:

Physically, Benrahma is not the strongest player by any means, but he is also not afraid to go into a challenge if he needs to. Being shorter, he is not the best in the air, and doesn’t win many aerial duels as a result, (he has won only 35% of his aerial duels compared to 65% of his normal duels) but he is not scared to go shoulder to shoulder with a defender, or go into a 50/50 challenge with an opponent to try and win the ball back. As mentioned earlier, his low center of gravity makes him a handful to deal with, so he does get fouled a decent amount. He has conceded 29 fouls however, and picked up 5 yellow cards, so while he is a tenacious player, he will sometimes get himself into trouble while trying to win the ball back.

His pace can also sometimes cause opponents problems, however, he does not utilize his pace as much as he normally does his dribbling ability. While he has the ability to run past opponents, he would rather put them on skates and dribble past them instead. Physically, Benrahma isn’t the best, but he definitely is not the worst either defensively or offensively in regards to his physicality.

Summary:

Saïd Benrahma is a very talented player that has outgrown the Championship. Whether he finishes the job with Brentford or not to get the club up into the Premier League will most likely determine his future. If Brentford make it up, then he will most likely stay and play for Brentford in the Premier League, however, if they don’t succeed, then he will most likely move on to a top six club in the Premier League, with Arsenal and Chelsea supposedly very interested in his services. Benrahma joins the list of gems that Brentford has unearthed in the French second division, and he might as well be called the right footed Riyad Mahrez, because he has all the potential to be just as good, if not better, than Mahrez in a few years time. While he has many positives about his game, he is not perfect, and has a few issues that can be worked on in the years to come, but one thing is for sure, Saïd Benrahma is definitely a player to watch in the future.