2025/26 Thierno Barry

[ElGato]

Grealish and Ndiaye are giving our centre forwards loads of service. The lad is constantly on his heels, his movement in the box has been awful. Doesn't run across defenders. Gets bullied at set pieces and often outmuscled by centre halves.

Beto isn't finishing his chances, shown in the stats one of the worst finishers this season.

A striker having a poor cumulative xG isn't just down to lack of service. That's what happens when you only look at numbers, you don't understand the context.

Of course, a good striker also creates chances for himself through his movement and anticipation.

However watching him, I can see him making intelligent runs and he is making those movements to be more involved in play. These just aren't the patterns of play that his teammates are used to yet. This is natural for new players, and they are still getting used to eachother.

Beto gets more chances partly because of his movement in the box, but also because it is his movements and these are better understood by those who have played with him.

The more Barry plays, the more his team mates will know where and when he wants the ball, and the more he will work out where and when his team mates will want to release it. All about adjustments.

Can see that xG in game increasing the more he plays as a result. But the point still stands; he's not really had enough chances with which to judge him on yet.

Still only started 3 games in the league? Or is it 4 now?