Michael Ball tackles the big issues at Hill Dickinson Stadium following Everton's 1-0 defeat to Manchester United
liverpoolecho
Thierno Barry needs to start getting more shots on goal for Everton. Every time a look at him, he’s got two or three players around him.
He needs to find space and be aware of his surroundings a bit more. The service to him is not always the best and there were some hopeful long balls on Monday, but when Manchester United's midfielders get possession, I’ve seen their strikers turn and sprint, showing some dynamic runs.
I didn’t see one from Barry. He’s waiting for someone to find him, but you need to make their mind up for them by making a clever run – give Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall no choice but to play you in.
I know he’s got a certain body language that looks laid back and lethargic, so when things don’t come off it perhaps looks worse than it probably is. He works hard at times, but I sometimes feel like they’re the wrong moments.
It feels like he’s not looking at the ball a lot and when he does, it’s at the last minute and it all seems rather frantic or off the cuff. You can’t sprint for every ball, you’ve got to pick your moments.
If you look at top strikers in the Premier League, Erling Haaland has been questioned numerous times for a supposed lack of movement. He doesn’t look interested, but then all of a sudden, he makes an explosive run that makes the mind up for the Manchester City midfielder to play the ball to him because he’s ready for it and not fatigued.
We’ve got games against good defensive teams coming up over the rest of the season and some big tests against top-quality centre-halves. Barry has got to challenge himself to think: 'I belong here in the Premier League', but to do that you’ve got to start bullying them.
If I was a striker and I came off the pitch without a shot on target, I wouldn’t be happy and I’d be wondering why not. Why is he always marked? Is his starting position wrong?
We’ve also got to think of the future. Who is going to be the future of Everton Football Club and it’s probably going to be Jake O’Brien and Jarrad Branthwaite at centre-half.
When are we going to see those two together in those positions? Michael Keane has done fantastic and James Tarkowski has been our captain, but there are moments where you have to look forwards.
Is the manager going to let this season fizzle out or are we going to push for Europe?
David Moyes said about how far Newcastle United are ahead of Everton in terms of the money they’ve spent but having been embarrassed by them when we were turned over at Hill Dickinson Stadium earlier in the season, Saturday is an opportunity for payback – like Manchester United did to us after our win at Old Trafford. Now it’s our turn to make sure Newcastle don’t do the double over us.