Thierno Barry just blasted his way to eight goals in a mere 12 appearances this season, an insane stat considering it took him 41 games to hit that same number last year. The dude scored against Newcastle for the second time in five days on Monday night, securing a massive win at St James’ Park for his side. Seriously, only Erling Haaland has more goals across all competitions in the Premier League with 13, making Barry’s eight goals an absolutely electric start.
From Zero Shots to Indispensable Hero
This is a turnaround we love to see. The 24-year-old is playing his best football since Everton shelled out £27m to bring him in from Villarreal last summer. Remember his nightmare debut season? Just one shot in his first 16 games. *One!* The guy was so frustrated he even posted a video of himself breaking down during a private training session last season. But Monday night? That was pure fire. He celebrated his goal with a knee slide that finished with full-on dance moves, soaking it all in. Barry told Sky Sports, “I was working a lot during the summer and now we can see the result. The season is long but I’m happy to help the team with my goals. I want to enjoy more than last season and I enjoyed my celebration so I am happy.” And Everton better be happy too, because with Beto gone to Fiorentina, Barry is their only recognized senior striker. He’s absolutely indispensable.
The Big Chance Man Who Just Keeps Scoring
Let’s be real, Barry has taken his lumps. Fans have definitely ripped him for being wasteful in front of goal, and sometimes it’s justified. Even against Newcastle, he latched onto Jarrad Branthwaite’s flick-on, got through on goal, and then, yeah, he made a poor connection and scuffed his shot. But here’s the kicker: the goal he *did* score was a two-yard tap-in with an unbelievably high xG of 0.995. You just can’t miss those, and he didn’t. Before that Newcastle match, Barry was involved in a staggering 15 of Everton’s 24 big chances, which is 62.5% of their opportunities! Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher nailed it on Sky Sports, saying, “We know Barry misses chances, but we also know this season he keeps going and he scores goals.” Even manager David Moyes was thrilled, adding, “We’re thrilled he’s getting the goals because you need your centre-forward to score. He has missed a few but thankfully tonight he was on the spot to get the goal.” Yeah, Newcastle manager Matthias Jaissle called it “a clear foul on Fabian Schar” in the build-up, but who cares? The ball hit the back of the net.
Everton held off Newcastle, moving into seventh in the Premier League. Barry’s unbelievable form is exactly what they need right now. Can he keep this heater going and drag his team further up the table? You bet he can. Get ready for more dance moves, folks!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by BBC Sport.
Leave a Reply