Everton: It's Time To Put Some Respect On Thierno Barry's Name

What more can he do?

If 13 goal contributions in 13 games isn't enough for people to start respecting Everton's centre-forward, then I don't know what is. 

That being said, it's been great to see the reaction on social media this weekend. Many are in huge support of Thierno Barry, with others admitting maybe they got it wrong on him.

Unfortunately, there are still some that are saying he's not even a Premier League level striker - make it make sense. Fine, you don't have to rate him, but not Premier League level? Really?

Anyway, onto some of the positives.

One thing that is difficult to continue hearing is that Everton could be top of the league if Barry converted every chance, or he should be on 15 goals by now. If players scored every chance they should, games would end 10-10 every week.

What many can't seem to grasp is the fact this isn't just a Barry thing. Every striker is missing chances. Igor Thiago has just two goals from 4.1 xG, Gonzalo Garcia has one goal from 4 xG, Liam Delap has one from 2.7 xG. 

Some are overperforming, such as Alexander Isak and Erling Haaland. You know, the £100m+ strikers?

As it stands, Barry has six goals from 7.3 xG. I couldn't care less about a stat like big chances missed. If anything, it's fantastic to see him on that list.

The players who previously topped the big chances missed, season by season: Erling Haaland, Ollie Watkins, Haaland, Haaland, Harry Kane.

27 goals, followed by 16 goals, then 27, then 36, then 17.

I don't know about you, but if Barry hit any of those numbers, I'd be pretty happy, especially as he's now contributing creatively too. 

Barry also deserves the amount of xG and chances he's getting. Clever movement, willingness to beat everyone else to the ball, determination. 

Just look at the Newcastle tap-in. Stays onside, beats away a defender, pounces and gambles. Yeah, it's a tap-in and harder to miss, but there's a reason he got to the rebound before anybody else. 

When people suggest that Barry should genuinely be on 15+ Premier League goals right now, I just can't get my head around it. Everton aren't a seriously strong creative side. In fact, we're a bottom-half team when it comes to creative numbers. 

7.3 of our 13.8 xG has fallen to Barry, and that's not by chance. Almost every chance we create is for Barry. In a normal side, you'd see this spread out across the team, but he and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall are our only goal threats.

That's why every miss, every glorious opportunity, even every half-chance is completely over analysed when it comes to Barry. 

Barry's movement in the box and behind the defence is a key factor behind him getting these chances. He's not being picked out by ridiculous through balls or David Beckham-esque deliveries. More often than not, things are being floated to him at the back post, or he's made a clever enough run to be picked out. 

Some fans are so focused on thinking we need better that they aren't considering where we'd be without him. Barry has contributed with seven goals and assists in the Premier League. 

Everton have just 12 goals, meaning he's played a part in 58%. By the way, that's the highest percentage in the Premier League. 

That means there is an abnormal amount of pressure on him every single week for him to deliver. He's the only number nine in the squad. If he struggles, he gets slated, and there's no alternative options, so where's the benefit in slating?

There's the obvious caveat that Barry knows he's likely to start however he plays, but this is a player with a fantastic attitude. He wants to become the best, he's not happy settling for starting every week. If that were the case, he wouldn't be showing the determination he does in order to get on the end of opportunities.

Of course he can. Many point to the fact that he's now 24 so he's not a youngster anymore. Development isn't linear. Some players burst onto the scene at 17 years old, after spending over 10 years being coached by professionals through the academy system.

Barry took a different route, spending some of his youth career at AS Montchat Lyon, who don't even have a Wikipedia page. He then move to AS Saint-Priest, who currently play in the fourth tier of French football. 

In 2021, he was playing reserve football for Sochaux. Their first team is in the second tier of French football. The first year he played top-tier football was with Basel in the 2023/2024 season, before moving to Villarreal the season after.

He's behind in his development compared to many 24-year-olds, especially those who came through the academy system.

Four years ago he was playing reserve football, now he's scoring goals in the Premier League. He hasn't reached his ceiling yet, and there's plenty more to come.