2025/26 Thierno Barry

[Woolverhampton_Blue]

He clearly isn’t a natural target man (35% duels won), someone who picks up the ball and drives at defenders (25% dribble success), or good at creating chances for those around him (1 chance created).

Watched some highlights of him at Villarreal and his goals seemed to come from either balls played in behind or deep crosses. We need to get better at providing the sort of chances he thrives on if he’s going to succeed here. We’ve had similar issues with Beto; forcing him to play a role he isn’t suited to, then everyone getting frustrated when it doesn’t work.

There is enough creative talent for us to fashion the chances our strikers need. If we do that and they still fail then fine, but at least we’ll know it’s because they aren’t good enough and not because we set them up to fail.

 

[WA Toffee]

Im not sure it’s a lack of motivation. The ask of Barry and Beto on Sunday would have been completely different.

Moyes will have given Barry instructions based on how we could win the game from a starting point of 0-0. He might have been told to keep to certain areas of the pitch, only press at certain times etc.

Beto comes on a 0-1 and the gameplan has changed. Much more direct, faster, putting pressure on etc.

Equally I think it’s part of the reason Beto was criticised against West Ham. He looked similarly disinterested. Didnt close down as much. And as pointed out by @Lanolin the fans weren’t happy.

It can’t be a coincidence that both players but similar first half performances in.

I think it’s much easier to look interested chasing a game at 1 down and it’s getting much more chaotic and less tactical.

Very good point. A lot of people seem to think that if you don't run around like a headless chicken for 90 minutes, then you are not giving 100%, which of course is a load of nonsense.

Beto's strengths are indeed running around like a headless chicken for 90 minutes, I haven't seen enough of Barry to know his strengths, but I do know it is not running around like a headless chicken.

I am sure Moyes also knows this, and subsequently gives him different instructions to what he gives Beto.

Basically, if you are one of those fans that demands non stop running, then Barry is not the player for you

 

[jazzy]

Very good point. A lot of people seem to think that if you don't run around like a headless chicken for 90 minutes, then you are not giving 100%, which of course is a load of nonsense.

Beto's strengths are indeed running around like a headless chicken for 90 minutes, I haven't seen enough of Barry to know his strengths, but I do know it is not running around like a headless chicken.

I am sure Moyes also knows this, and subsequently gives him different instructions to what he gives Beto.

Basically, if you are one of those fans that demands non stop running, then Barry is not the player for you

Effort / motivation isn't just " running around like a headless chicken". Sadly I have seen precious little motivation, effort or determination from Barry so far.

 

[GoldenToffee]

Very good point. A lot of people seem to think that if you don't run around like a headless chicken for 90 minutes, then you are not giving 100%, which of course is a load of nonsense.

Beto's strengths are indeed running around like a headless chicken for 90 minutes, I haven't seen enough of Barry to know his strengths, but I do know it is not running around like a headless chicken.

I am sure Moyes also knows this, and subsequently gives him different instructions to what he gives Beto.

Basically, if you are one of those fans that demands non stop running, then Barry is not the player for you

You're right, but Barry neither 'runs around like a headless chicken' nor 'runs around' at all, really. Some would call it a languid style, others might deem him lazy. He certainly looks like he could be putting in a heck of a lot more effort on the field. Apart from one moment in his first game (where he flicks the ball over a defender's boot and ran after it), he's literally done or showed nothing positive at all. Needs to improve quickly, and that means giving 100% effort, closing down, tackling, tracking back, ensuring his second touch isn't a tackle, and doing all the basics, even if he's not getting shots off due to poor build-up play from midfield.

 

[Hinchcliffe's Corner]

You're right, but Barry neither 'runs around like a headless chicken' nor 'runs around' at all, really. Some would call it a languid style, others might deem him lazy.

 

[WA Toffee]

You're right, but Barry neither 'runs around like a headless chicken' nor 'runs around' at all, really. Some would call it a languid style, others might deem him lazy. He certainly looks like he could be putting in a heck of a lot more effort on the field. Apart from one moment in his first game (where he flicks the ball over a defender's boot and ran after it), he's literally done or showed nothing positive at all. Needs to improve quickly, and that means giving 100% effort, closing down, tackling, tracking back, ensuring his second touch isn't a tackle, and doing all the basics, even if he's not getting shots off due to poor build-up play from midfield.

I agree with you that he hasn't really shown any glimpses of what he may be capable of, but if Moyes is telling him not to close down, harrass defenders etc, then him not doing those things is not automatically a negative.

As I said before, I can't see yet what his strengths are, and I would love to see him be more positive and make some dangerous runs into the opposition box, hold the ball up better to bring team mates in etc but I am never going to criticise him for not running around like a headless chicken.

 

[MACCA75]

I agree with you that he hasn't really shown any glimpses of what he may be capable of, but if Moyes is telling him not to close down, harrass defenders etc, then him not doing those things is not automatically a negative.

As I said before, I can't see yet what his strengths are, and I would love to see him be more positive and make some dangerous runs into the opposition box, hold the ball up better to bring team mates in etc but I am never going to criticise him for not running around like a headless chicken.

I suspect if he had been following Moyes’ instructions then he wouldn’t have been hauled off at half time on his last two starts.

 

[bicycleheader]

I suspect if he had been following Moyes’ instructions then he wouldn’t have been hauled off at half time on his last two starts.

Or it could be he was but just playing very badly. It happens

Too many people assuming their take is 100% correct

 

[Bedfordblue]

He clearly isn’t a natural target man (35% duels won), someone who picks up the ball and drives at defenders (25% dribble success), or good at creating chances for those around him (1 chance created).

Watched some highlights of him at Villarreal and his goals seemed to come from either balls played in behind or deep crosses. We need to get better at providing the sort of chances he thrives on if he’s going to succeed here. We’ve had similar issues with Beto; forcing him to play a role he isn’t suited to, then everyone getting frustrated when it doesn’t work.

There is enough creative talent for us to fashion the chances our strikers need. If we do that and they still fail then fine, but at least we’ll know it’s because they aren’t good enough and not because we set them up to fail.

You are assuming there isn’t a strategy to mould him into whatever Moyes / the recruitment committee think he can / should be.
I very much doubt Moyes is ‘easing him in’ while he changes the teams tactics to suit a newly recruited prospect.
Changing them / focusing on getting the ball to £100m England international and treble winner Grealish is one thing, changing it to suit Barry is something else entirely imo.
I think it’s much more likely they are trying to get him to play in a different way to suit what Moyes wants imo. Whether he can or not, time will tell I guess.

I do agree though we seem insist on not playing to the strengths of our strikers, but that said there’s been a couple of balls played in behind for Beto to run onto lately (one of his supposed strengths) and he’s made a right mess of them

 

[WA Toffee]

I suspect if he had been following Moyes’ instructions then he wouldn’t have been hauled off at half time on his last two starts.

I suspect you may be right, but my comment wasn't about the merits of his performance, it was about people seeing him not run around like a headless chicken and assuming the only explanation is that he is not giving 100%

 

[58 toffees]

Alcaraz playing would probably suit him better, as he will be quicker in the play, if there's a quick through ball on he will instinctly look for that, rather than slowing down the attack and having more players back.

He does need time, but he also needs to show something..

Moyes obviously doesn't see it that way , at half time he took Barry off and put Alccaraz on.

 

[Paulie]

He clearly isn’t a natural target man (35% duels won), someone who picks up the ball and drives at defenders (25% dribble success), or good at creating chances for those around him (1 chance created).

Watched some highlights of him at Villarreal and his goals seemed to come from either balls played in behind or deep crosses. We need to get better at providing the sort of chances he thrives on if he’s going to succeed here. We’ve had similar issues with Beto; forcing him to play a role he isn’t suited to, then everyone getting frustrated when it doesn’t work.

There is enough creative talent for us to fashion the chances our strikers need. If we do that and they still fail then fine, but at least we’ll know it’s because they aren’t good enough and not because we set them up to fail.

So we have a centre forward that can't play back to goal, win headers, hold the ball up and bring others into play? Great.

 

[murphy89]

Even refererring to Bergkamp, Drogba and the cheating rat Henry in the same post as Barry is laughable!

Suppose if you struggle to understand a post it is then yeah.

 

[murphy89]

nor 'runs around' at all, really.

But I can, right off the top of my head, think of an example that contradicts this. Against West Ham, he chased down their bag four, forcing the defender into a bad touch which KDH pounced on and forced a throw in, in a dangerous position on the edge of their area.

Again, not saying that he’s doing enough but I also think there is some confirmation bias at play here.

 

[Swartzy]

Moyes obviously doesn't see it that way , at half time he took Barry off and put Alccaraz on.

I expect that was simply just down to the desperate need of new injection in the game.

Not sure what Moyes see's personally, he's probably stuck thinking why are neither of my strikers staking their claim to the position.

Just think you might get a different outlook from Barry with a more direct player behind him.