Algeria forward Amine Gouiri’s impressive goalscoring record for Marseille has renewed debate over whether he should continue playing as an out-and-out striker or operate in a deeper attacking role.
The 26-year-old has attracted criticism over the consistency of his performances for both Marseille and the Algerian national team, with questions raised about his positioning and tendency to move away from the penalty area.
However, a tactical and statistical analysis by French newspaper La Provence has highlighted his effectiveness in front of goal while suggesting that his technical ability could make him even more influential in a different position.
Gouiri has made a promising start to the season in terms of individual statistics, scoring five goals and providing one assist in nine appearances for Marseille. All five goals came in seven French league matches, while he failed to score or provide an assist in his two Europa League appearances.
Despite those numbers, some Algeria supporters remain unconvinced by his performances for the national team. They believe he has yet to establish himself as the leading attacking figure expected to carry the responsibility of scoring goals, drawing comparisons with the country’s all-time leading scorer, Islam Slimani.
La Provence questions Gouiri’s role
Gouiri’s position became a subject of discussion after he featured as a central striker for Algeria in their most recent match against Zambia, before suffering an injury. He has also occupied that position for Marseille, but La Provence believes his style of play presents a tactical dilemma.
“Despite the criticism directed at him because of his unconventional style and lack of constant presence inside the penalty area, Amine Gouiri continues to record amazing numbers in the Olympique Marseille jersey,” the newspaper wrote.
It added: “With 26 goals in 39 matches in which he started as a starter since joining the team, the Algerian international is delivering a performance that rivals that of the best out-and-out strikers.”
The publication acknowledged that Gouiri’s movement and technical qualities distinguish him from a traditional centre-forward, raising the possibility that Marseille could benefit from deploying him behind another striker.
It explained: “But, given his playmaking skills and his tendency to drop back, a fundamental question arises. Wouldn’t Olympique Marseille benefit more if they employed him in a different role? This is the paradox of the Algerian player.”
The newspaper argued that the criticism of Gouiri’s positioning was not entirely without foundation, pointing to his preference for participating in the build-up rather than remaining close to the opposition goal.
“There is a criticism that is constantly repeated and is sometimes based on valid arguments: Amine Gouiri is not a number 9 (a pure striker) in the classical sense; he is not that traditional striker who is obsessed with being present inside the penalty area, or making runs behind the defenders, or seizing rebounds in front of the goal.”
It continued: “The Algerian player prefers to touch the ball, participate in building attacks, return to receive the ball between the lines, and exchange passes with his teammates. He even exaggerates this sometimes, to the point of leaving Marseille’s attack line without a real pivot point. It is a tactical contradiction that may disrupt the balance of the attacking system and deprive the team of a player to receive crosses.”
Goalscoring record strengthens Gouiri’s case
Despite those concerns, Gouiri’s numbers provide a strong argument in his favour.
He has scored five goals in seven matches in which he started this season, while his overall record since joining Marseille stands at 26 goals in 39 starts. That return amounts to approximately two goals every three starts.
La Provence believes those statistics should carry considerable weight when assessing his contribution, even if aspects of his movement and positioning remain open to criticism.
The newspaper continued: “Some may argue about his positioning, his movements, the chances he missed, or the fluctuation of his impact in some matches; but it is difficult to deny this high effectiveness. Gouiri scores and scores a lot. In the world of football, what primarily evaluates strikers is their ability to score goals, and this criterion carries a great deal of weight.”
It also highlighted the qualities that make the Algerian forward valuable beyond his finishing, including his vision, technical ability and capacity to create openings in opposition defences.
“His role is not limited to finishing attacks; his technical skills, his keen vision of the field, and his ability to open gaps in the opponent’s defense are a valuable addition to the team,” the publication said.
The newspaper then returned to the question of whether Gouiri would be more effective playing behind a conventional centre-forward.
“Perhaps the essential question here is: Wouldn’t Gouiri be more effective if he played behind a pure striker?”
Such a change could allow a coach to exploit his creativity while retaining a recognised striker in the penalty area. However, the newspaper also acknowledged the potential disadvantage of moving Gouiri away from the position where his goalscoring ability has proved most valuable.
It suggested that using him in a deeper role might improve the team’s creativity but could also mean sacrificing a forward who has demonstrated a reliable ability to finish attacking moves.
La Provence concluded its assessment by emphasising that, regardless of the debate over his ideal position, Gouiri possesses a quality that remains essential for any striker.
“Ultimately, the mystery of Amine Gouiri can be summed up in one sentence: he may not have all the attributes of the ideal number 9, but he undoubtedly possesses the most important attribute of all: the ability to score goals.”
Hamdani faces decision over Algeria’s attack
The debate is also relevant to the Algerian national team, where supporters and several analysts have repeatedly called for Gouiri to be used as a second striker, operating behind a main forward.
They believe such a role would allow him to make better use of his technical qualities, passing ability and movement between the lines without placing the entire burden of leading the attack on him.
The question now is whether Ibrahim Hamdani will consider that approach in Algeria’s upcoming matches or continue to deploy Gouiri as the main striker.
His goalscoring record suggests that moving him away from the centre-forward position would not be an easy decision. However, the argument presented by La Provence highlights the possibility that Algeria could gain more from the Marseille forward by changing how he is used in the attacking system.
Ultimately, Gouiri’s challenge is to combine his natural instinct for goals with the tactical demands of the position he is asked to play.
