Thierno Barry finally opened his goalscoring account for Everton after finding the net just before half-time in the 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest at Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Signed from Villarreal this summer, the 23-year-old struggled in front of goal and after coming increasingly close in recent weeks, he finally got the monkey off his back on his 15th league appearance.
However, manager David Moyes is unwilling to let the Frenchman rest on his laurels and expects goals to come more frequently from his striker.
“He will not be able to play another six games and only score one goal. He has been given the opportunity but I have to say Beto is beginning to show more. Barry will have to keep playing well,” said Moyes.
“In the opening games of the season, we were happy to change them around after 60 minutes because we were needing one of them to score and none of them were scoring at the time.
“The choice was to give Thierno a run in the team to get used to the Premier League but we are really hoping Beto comes back into form as well as we need the goals from both of them.”
Moyes also wants more physicality from Barry, who’s still getting used to the demands of the Premier League. While he has shown improvement in recent weeks, the persistent feeling is that the Frenchman could use his 6’4” frame better when up against towering centre-backs and he has gone down too easily.
“It’s very difficult to train physicality, you can get the boys to kick him in training a bit more – which they have done – and he has fallen down a lot but referees here play on and he’s not getting anything,” added the Toffees boss.
“When you are 6ft 4in and you’ve got what he’s got he’s going to have to learn to be a victim of being tackled and falling over.
“I still think he does it too much and I am on him even more to stay up. He is getting used to it but he’s still not there yet.
“He’s a boy who’s only been in the Premier League three months, so it would be difficult to say that’s him, he’s settled in, far from it.”
Reader Comments (18)
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2 Posted 07/12/2025 at 16:23:23
His first touches are way better than Beto, but still lacking the clinical touch.
3 Posted 07/12/2025 at 16:54:12
I hope the manager isn't letting other players who have been in the Premier League for years rest on their laurels but demanding more of them!
4 Posted 07/12/2025 at 17:02:07
5 Posted 07/12/2025 at 17:18:26
At the bottom, the Toffees move six points clear of the relegation zone, while at the top the Blues are now six points adrift of leaders Man City in the title race.
6 Posted 07/12/2025 at 17:31:55
You start him every week, he is on Cloud 9 after scoring, and the manager turns around and says he's crap and he's probably going to drop him for Beto.
7 Posted 07/12/2025 at 18:05:52
Hope he toughens up. He will need to in order to be the type of striker we need.
8 Posted 07/12/2025 at 19:55:55
9 Posted 07/12/2025 at 19:58:50
Milenkovic knew he had the better of Baz in the first half, and I personally demand more of that…. The same reason I don't enjoy women's football and have zero interest in anything about it, as someone kindly informed us above.
I personally don't just watch football for the skill, I watch it to see grown men put a hurting on each other. Physically and mentally!…
Baz is weak but we're Toffees and I'll back the lad while he wears the shirt. Rather have Beto though….
Also random point but seeing the left-footed Keenan Dewsbury-Hall score so many bangers with his right foot has really emphasized how shite Dwight McNeil is! I was always a McNeil supporter and thought he was good 😂 while many on here said he was shit. Now I see the light….
Dwight comes on to slow the game down when we are winning and is tidy with the ball, but no bloody wonder we weren't scoring many goals when he started.
10 Posted 07/12/2025 at 20:24:19
It was always gonna take a full season for Barry, who probably weighs in around 175 lbs, to muscle up and get accustomed to the physicality of the Premier League.
I still think so. Give him 30 more games and a summer in the weight room and then we'll see what we've got.
11 Posted 07/12/2025 at 20:54:06
McNeil is shit?
He might surprise you in the next few months.
12 Posted 07/12/2025 at 21:42:54
He's not on massive money, he's down the pecking order, out of contract in 2027, and would offer a Premier League-ready player for someone near the relegation fights.
Slot could do a lot worse.
13 Posted 07/12/2025 at 22:03:04
14 Posted 07/12/2025 at 22:21:28
To be fair that Serbian CB is fcuking massive!
And Barry with his dislocated shoulder still made him look a fcuking tart!
15 Posted 07/12/2025 at 22:24:00
"Premature jubilation"... suffered a lot from that down the years.
16 Posted 07/12/2025 at 22:35:05
I know you are a big fan and may well overcome the physicality which he should do, I am more worried about his mental toughness. Believe me I want him to succeed as I do with Beto who has both but lacks the skill.
Believe me I think we do have the makings of a team but Rome wasn’t built in a day but I do see there is a team mentality forming.
17 Posted 07/12/2025 at 22:48:24
I was hoping that you might be able to break down this broken English and make connections and meanings more clear.
I get it, you want to see more of Milenkovic getting the better of Baz [sic].
But then I'm not quite so sure what the connection is to women's football for you wanting more of Milenkovic getting the better of Baz [sic].
The 'someone kindly informed us above' is not really on the same page as you, is he? Bit of an own goal here. I think you might find that 'someone', like me, has an interest in the women's game.
18 Posted 07/12/2025 at 23:03:58
"I watch it to see grown men put a hurting on each other"...well I'd argue the "grown men" bit as well as the "hurting" but... other websites are available...
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1 Posted 07/12/2025 at 15:38:16
He's only scored one goal.
Is that what we guve laurels out for at Everton these days?