I’ve felt a bit like a broken record each week talking about the striker situation, so it’s a pleasant change to be able to talk positively about Thierno Barry‘s performance at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday.
Yes, it was lacking a goal again, but there was hard work, endeavour and a real willingness to influence the game and contribute to the victory.
Even as I write I can hear the dissenting voices saying ‘that’s the minimum a player should be giving’ and while that is, of course, true, there are a number of mitigating factors we should take into consideration.
Everton fans need to be patient with Thierno Barry
It’s the first season in the Premier League for a relatively young player, who has arrived with a lot of hype and expectation, into a team with a number of new players. These things take time and building confidence is crucial.
I was critical of Barry’s performances so far because they looked laboured, and lacked the energy and determination you want to see from a young player aiming to impress. On Saturday, I thought he brought all that, battling for every ball, sometimes being over anxious to do well, but I can live with that.
He worked so hard and really wanted to make something happen, that was very pleasing to see. It’s very easy in these situations for a player to drop his head, get frustrated, and add to the anxiety of the crowd, but against Fulham there was none of that.
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He responded well to the disappointment of having a goal ruled out for offside, and from then on he never gave up looking for another.
It never came but the ovation he was given when replaced by Beto with 12 minutes remaining was in appreciation of all that hard work.
What the young forward will learn is that if you give your all in an Everton shirt you will be applauded, you will be supported and you will be able to build the confidence needed to become better and better.
The same can be said about Beto. His work rate has never been in doubt and because of that he’s benefitted from it as we saw in the final part of last season. I think it’s been hard coming in and out of the side in the first few weeks of the season for both players, but when you’re not scoring what option does the manager have? The crowd demand change.
I sincerely hope Barry can go on and establish himself now and most importantly start getting his name on the flashing scoreboard in the coming weeks and months.
Everton v Fulham - Premier League
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Alan Myers says Everton transfer priorities should be a right-back and a ‘goalscorer’
I still believe David Moyes will go into the January market for a striker, at the very least someone who can come off the bench and grab a goal, in my opinion it would be a huge gamble continuing with just the two main forwards for the whole season.
Moyes hinted that he expects activity when the window reopens, and whilst there is a recognition of the difficulties the January window can pose. I believe The Friedkin Group will back the manager to get what he feels he needs, and now that everyone is familiar with each other a lot more within the recruitment set up I’d expect to see some good work done.
"We need to get people believing in Everton like we do, like the supporters here do and what we want us to be in the future. To do that, we need to keep picking up the wins and attracting top players."
David Moyes' #EVEFUL reaction in full: pic.twitter.com/ij6mL7YmG0
— Everton (@Everton) November 8, 2025
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My priority would be a right-back and a goalscorer, the squad needs someone that can provide goals.
One man who did that again this weekend was Michael Keane, and if there is an example of determination, fight and not flight, he is it. Keane has endured some awful criticism during his time at the club, and on some occasions some criticism was warranted, but as a whole he has been a true professional in every sense of the word.
We signed Michael at Blackburn on loan from Manchester United and although he had a couple of tough games he was the consummate professional, not only on the pitch but off it too. I remember trying to convince the club to make the move permanent, it didn’t happen and that decision was proved to be a wrong one.
Everton have had a long list of real, honest and committed centre-backs, the likes of Lyons, Watson and Jagielka before him, and Michael Keane is now showing not only the leadership qualities of all of the aforementioned but also making a huge contribution to the team where and when it matters. Long may it continue.
Another international break is upon us and it’s another fingers crossed exercise hoping the likes of Illiman Ndiaye, Idrissa Gana Gueye, Pickford et al return injury free ahead of a tricky visit to Manchester United when the Premier League returns in a couple of weeks.