You Need to Mean Them, Barry! | OneFootball

For (most) children growing up in the early 2000s, Harry Potter was a pretty big deal. Now, I never did get dragged into dressing up as a wizard, but they were probably the first novels I read, or listened to — on tape, no less — over and over again.

And if you’re wondering where the hell this introduction is going, that’s a fair question. But stick with it.

Perhaps it was by osmosis. Perhaps those hours of reading and re-reading, of listening and re-listening to the audiobooks, just meant certain phrases or lines were cemented in a little boy’s brain and 20-odd years later, one of J K Rowling’s lines of dialogue would jump to the forefront of my mind to describe an Everton centre-forward missing a glorious chance in front of goal.

Still with me? Possibly not, but on the off-chance you are, the point will soon arrive.

The line in question comes somewhere deep in the fifth instalment of the series.

Harry Potter has just lost his godfather, and the killer, Bellatrix Lestrange, is taunting the teenager as he feebly attempts an ‘Unforgivable Curse’ (okay, I’ll admit, I had to refresh my memory there) her way.

“You need to mean them, Potter!”

And for whatever bizarre reason, when Thierno Barry managed to miss an open goal for the second time in Everton’s 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth, that quote sprang to mind.

Let’s have some creative licence: “You need to mean them, Barry.”

I promise, I’m not writing this drunk. Angry, yes, because Everton have once again thrown away another fantastic opportunity to put themselves in pole position in the European race. Concerned, yes, because their form at Hill Dickinson Stadium continues to be a growing concern. Befuddlement, yes, because David Moyes’s lack of proactive action from the bench and lack of trust in squad players is seemingly getting worse, but, I have my senses.

The thing is, that quote — the whole point of that long-winded intro — applies perfectly to Thierno Barry. I do sometimes wonder if he really means it.

Barry is a good prospect. He has not been adequately supported this season and has therefore been forced to ride through the rough patches and come out of them stronger for it. Everton’s recruitment let him down; there should not have been so much onus on him to lead the line this season.

But there has been, and he has, at least in recent months, delivered in terms of goals and, at times, he’s delivered in his all-round performances, too.

He does not get many chances, and that is never good for a striker. They will, naturally, then tend to snatch at the ones that do come their way. But we had begun to see more composure and poise from the 23-year-old. He has proved he is capable of scoring at this level.

On Tuesday, though, it went out of the window a bit.

First, there was the miss in the first half. Djordje Petrovic spilled James Garner’s free-kick, and Barry was presented with nearly an open goal. The ball was wet and spinning away, and the turf was slippy, but Barry still had the whole goal to aim at. Opta assigned the chance 0.72 xG. For context, a penalty is commonly assigned 0.79 xG.

Everton put the miss behind them. Iliman Ndiaye scored a spot-kick and, without playing particularly well, the Toffees went into half-time with a lead over a lacklustre Bournemouth team.

Yet, in my opinion, a much worse miss was to come.

Everton started the second half well. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall saw a goal-bound effort blocked by James Hill as it looked like the Cherries would wilt under a barrage of pressure.

Barry linked up well with Ndiaye, and for all the world, it looked as though the Frenchman would atone for his earlier miss (and misses happen, for all players — look at Cole Palmer).

Ndiaye slid it across, and all Barry had to do was move towards the ball. The goal had opened up, Petrovic was rooted to the spot. Six yards out, stride forward, swing a leg at it and finish. Game over.

But Barry waited. Barry did not push himself forward. He stood on his heels, wanting the ball to come to him and for no other player to react.

He did not show the level of conviction he had previously demonstrated for his goal against Leeds United in January, when he saw the space, attacked it and grabbed an equaliser.

This isn’t to say that Barry can’t do those things. He clearly can. But if he is to fulfil his potential and if he is to really grind it out in the Premier League, then these are the moments he has to take.

The ball from Ndiaye was accurate but lacked pace. But that’s what made it so perfect to attack. So ideal to get on the front foot and just make emphatically sure.

I don’t like to compare any striker to Romelu Lukaku, because he was a complete freak of nature. The full package at 20. A beast physically and a ruthless finisher. Yet what made Lukaku so good in front of goal was his nasty streak; his anger.

Barry is a more languid character, but there is no doubting he is a hard worker.

However, as I wrote after the Leeds game, there is a lot for him still to learn, and much of it seems to come down to that awareness, that desire to really make something happen. Whether it’s going up for a 50-50 (or perhaps even a 30-70) just to try and put the defender off, or whether it’s making sure you close the gap to a rolling ball and give a covering defender absolutely no chance of making a block.

But in that moment against Bournemouth, it didn’t look as though Barry did mean it.

Still, we must credit Alex Jimenez. He did not give up. He made the covering run, he dived in at just the right moment. He made a block that swung the game in Bournemouth’s favour. Ten minutes later, the Cherries were ahead.

Barry, meanwhile, headed to the Everton bench. One cannot surely blame Moyes for taking him off — he was not playing well, his misses aside, and Beto has performed relatively well from the bench as of late.

It was sad to see Barry hide his face in his shirt, clearly distraught. He knew how big a chance it was to put the game to bed, and he will not need reminding.

So all I’ll say, is this: He’s got to mean it. Really mean it.

Get angry, get nasty. Do not give that covering defender a chance to be the hero. Make that ball yours and then go and lash it home.

In the modern day, with the obsession with statistics (guilty as charged, by the way), it is easy to disregard ‘intangibles’. But they are still there, and they are still just as important as they ever were.

It’s sink or swim time, but if you’re going to stay afloat, you really have to mean them.

Reader Comments (70)

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Ray Jacques 1 Posted 11/02/2026 at 11:14:42

Barry's job is to put the ball in the back of the net. I don't care how many chances he gets, he has to score goals. That is why he is on the pitch.

I remember Yakubu. One game against Fulham, I think it was, he had about ten touches and did nothing. Final whistle went, we won 3-0 and he had scored a hat-trick.

He didn't need multiple chances to score, one or two touches, ball in the corner of the net. Thats what we need.

Ian Wilkins 2 Posted 11/02/2026 at 11:20:28

I don't think he has the steel in him. He's languid, ponderous, doesn't have a striker's instinct.

You see lots of times that he doesn't anticipate, he doesn't get across the defender. He doesn't expect the mistake. And when the chances do present, he fluffs his lines more often than not. Like last night.

A commentator at Fulham said he had to improve technically after a ball to his feet ended up 10 yards away, out for a throw. It must be very hard for our better players playing alongside this. Disheartening really. Beto is no better, should have moved on in the January window when there was interest, replaced by someone new. Of course you can't do business in January, except plenty of clubs, including Bournemouth, do.

Poor recruitment is at the heart of everything that holds Everton back. Until this is resolved, we are going nowhere... but our better players probably are, and who can blame them??

Garry Martin 3 Posted 11/02/2026 at 11:44:52

I'm sorry to say, but, Barry is a headless chicken with no ball skill, and he lacks positional skill.

I've observed his face of late and I'm not inspired by his nonchalant expression, like he does not want to be there. His skills and ability would be lucky to survive in lower divisions.

A bigger concern for me, though, is: Who at Everton is buying these second-class players???

Bill Fairfield 4 Posted 11/02/2026 at 11:51:25

Sunday league player at best. Awful last night, cost us 3 points.

It will be a job offloading him and Beto. It won't be to anyone in the Premier League, that's for sure.

Les Callan 5 Posted 11/02/2026 at 12:01:52

I've heard that Adrian Heath looked at this fellah umpteen times, and decided he wasn't good enough for the MLS!

Philip Devlin 6 Posted 11/02/2026 at 12:02:35

I really thought he'd kick on after his purple patch -- like he did in La Liga last year...

But he's not physically growing into the Premier League in any noticeable way.

Jeff Spiers 7 Posted 11/02/2026 at 12:05:08

Ian.

I can't argue about that.

Dave Abrahams 8 Posted 11/02/2026 at 12:18:28

I think the problem is getting a good striker in, or more than one.

We need to sign the Bournemouth, Brentford and Brighton talent spotters in instead of whoever Everton use -- especially ones like Moyes's son, for fuck's sake!

Jim Bennings 9 Posted 11/02/2026 at 12:34:59

If it's not in him, it's not in him, is it?

You can't really teach that aggression or that boundless thankless running the likes of Bent, Radzinski, Andy Johnson used to do, I don't think Barry is that particular forward.

I know also he's no cold-blooded finisher like Yakubu, Lukaku, or Saha either.

He's somewhere for me in between a Mikael Madar and a Stuart Barlow type player, the casual rather laid-back nature of Madar and the erratic finishing and touch of Barlow.

Dave Abrahams 10 Posted 11/02/2026 at 12:41:48

Jim (9),

I think a certain smoke was responsible for Mick Madar's laid-back nature.

I think Pickford should take a few snorts before every game — he's a bleedin' ranting loon once the game starts.

Ralph Basnett 11 Posted 11/02/2026 at 13:10:45

Let's be honest here, a couple of goals is not a purple patch -- it is just a couple of goals. This man, as well as Beto, needs to be dropped.

I would start with Keane upfront. He may not be a natural striker but he will use his body, and for a man who is not a striker, he knows where the goal is.

John Collins 12 Posted 11/02/2026 at 13:13:45

Ralph,

Hopefully you mean the opposition's goal.

He gets lost on many occasions in and around his own goal. Slow thinking and slow moving.

Jim Bennings 13 Posted 11/02/2026 at 13:55:04

Ralph

Pretty much summed up there in that comment and that's it really, it's just a few goals, it's a bit like Beto last season when Moyes took over, a purple patch which was a few good goals but we all knew going forward he's not the answer.

I'll give Barry credit here, scored a massive winner at Villa Park, an important equalizer against Leeds which was almost another home loss.

But going forward, no, I know we will need better next season.

Craig Walker 14 Posted 11/02/2026 at 14:00:17

I found his head-in-hands posture on the bench pathetic. It's not all about him when we win and it isn't all about him when we lose or are trailing.

This is a guy who seems to have spent more time working on his goal celebration than sticking the ball in the net. He's probably a decent talent but isn't good enough for where we aspire to be... and neither is Beto, for that matter.

We showed our intent by letting the transfer deadline slip when every single Evertonian knows what is required. The Deadline Day was 2 February --- Groundhog Day itself.

We have done okay this season to be top half on a net spend of £14M over 5 years but Barry and Beto are simply not good enough. What other Premier League team would have them? Surely our new revenue streams would mean we could fork out for a decent striker and a right-back?

I can't help feeling that we will look back in time as it being a mistake not to strengthen during the January transfer window when the Premier League was so wide open.

Brian Harrison 15 Posted 11/02/2026 at 14:08:49

Craig @14,

I was at the game so didn't see Barry with his head in his hands. I am actually amazed he managed to find his hands with his head.

My Son just sent me a list of some of our strikers over the last 15 years or so... apart from Lukaku, it would be libellous to call any of them a striker.

Alan J Thompson 16 Posted 11/02/2026 at 14:17:30

Ralph (#11);

And how do you think Keane would go chasing Pickford's long hoofs and winning headers for nobody to run on to or pick up? Would he be used to standing in a penalty area bereft of any teammates?

I was trying to think of a successful, or even a semi-successful, striker since Lukaku and possibly one season of Calvert-Lewin under Ancelotti but he, Beto and Barry have one thing in common... yes, Everton.

Would we have been any better, or worse, with Simms, Dobbin or Cannon? Is it our players or our style of play without trying to absolve our current pair from missing what are fairly easy chances?

I seem to remember that across the park under the High Chief Travesty of Justice, Shankly himself, that players were tutored in one-on-one finishing which made me wonder if we even have any ex-forwards never mind strikers on our coaching staff.

Bill Gall 17 Posted 11/02/2026 at 14:35:58

If he has not got a predator's instinct in the way that Patric is describing it by now, "He Never Will".

The Premier League is ruthless with no time for sentiments and Moyes should be questioned about the regularity he plays a player in the "hope" he is going to perform in what he is payed extravagant fees for and that is to score goals.

It is not only the supporters who get upset. How about the players working hard to support him? This was a terrible signing for a player who had not played in a league as demanding as the Premier League, and it should be questioned. You can not play in the Premier League if your standard is of a 3rd-tier player (no disrespect to 3rd-tier players).

Along with myself, I believe many supporters are pleasantly surprised at the position we are in, but imagine where we could be if we had a Number 9 who could do what he is paid to do.

Nicolas Piñon 18 Posted 11/02/2026 at 15:34:17

Play George as a Number 9 from now on. If he persists with Barry, he'll be gone by summer... Mark my words.

And in the summer, go get some proven Number 9.

Nicolas Piñon 19 Posted 11/02/2026 at 15:36:16

End of.

We got 10 disastrous years under Moshiri until he left. Don't bring us that shit back.

Terry Downes 20 Posted 11/02/2026 at 15:46:24

Right... get rid of Moyes at the end of the season, get Silva back, then he can get Richarlison back plus Robinson. Or Iraola... even Frank if needed... but time for some fresh ideas!!

If we'd've signed a decent striker pre-season, there's no reason to think we'd have been Top 6 quite easily; they've let the club down massively.

This squad is small but a better one than we've had for a long time.... Easy this footy manager game is!

Shaun Parker 21 Posted 11/02/2026 at 15:46:57

Barry didn't play that badly.

The chance rebound off the keeper was bloody difficult to control and convert. The chance in the box was just good defending.

I thought he chased well, offloaded well, and won a lot of aerial challenges.

Unlike Mykelenko.

Bill Fairfield 22 Posted 11/02/2026 at 16:06:43

Moyes needs to try something else up front. The two lads we've got are just not good enough.

It's no use just hoping they'll come good. I fear it'll be costly if he doesn't...

Raymond Fox 23 Posted 11/02/2026 at 16:23:14

To be fair to Barry, his first chance was difficult, the ball was fast going away from the goal; the second, their defender did well to block the shot.

I said way back, Barry and Beto are both extra tall and should be favoured by crosses into the box, something they rarely get. Built like they are, they are not going to be brilliant with the ball on the ground.

Let's face it, Calvert-Lewin couldn't score when he was here except when Ancelotti had crosses played into the box for him, something he is now getting at Leeds.

Soren Moyer 24 Posted 11/02/2026 at 16:24:09

Moyes is the Number 1 problem!

(In my opinion.)

Sean O\'Hanlon 25 Posted 11/02/2026 at 16:24:59

It's not just his inability to score, his overall game is atrocious.

No control, fails to keep possession, cannot hold up play and use the ball, heading bad... if he does manage contact, it inevitably goes to the opposition.

He's clumsy, a languid approach to the game. A lazy player -- makes a few runs when he can be bothered. One of the worst players I've ever seen, including Brett Angell!

James Flynn 26 Posted 11/02/2026 at 17:48:56

"If he has not got a predator's instinct in the way that Patric is describing it by now, "He Never Will". "

This. Either you have it or you don't. There's no indication Barry does.

He is tall. But he has no pace, no foot quickness, no vertical jump. He doesn't appear a particularly good footballer with the ball at his feet.

No amount of "He's getting used to top-league English football." is going to change those athletic or football deficiencies.

I'd guess we're stuck with him at least through next season.

Bill Hawker 28 Posted 11/02/2026 at 18:24:43

I think he'd do very well in a league like Holland or Turkey. I just think the Premier League is a step too far for him.

To be fair, he's not the first player to come to the Premier League and find it extremely difficult but he doesn't have one characteristic that stands out -- such as strength, holding up the ball, beating his man, taking his chances -- that makes you think he'll come good in the Premier League.

Jim Bennings 29 Posted 11/02/2026 at 19:18:07

Some strikers that come to the Premier League initially struggle but you notice little things about them that tells you they will eventually come good: power, pace, eagerness, nasty streak etc.

Some come in, like Jelavic did, and hit the ground running, everything they hit goes in clean as a whistle. Then they simply fall off a cliff... I've never to this day seen a dropoff quite like Nikica Jelavic.

With Barry, I do struggle to genuinely see one amazingly redeeming strength that tells me he will be anything other than what we are seeing now: a few goals here and there.... but overall, quality lacking.

Sean Kelly 30 Posted 11/02/2026 at 20:05:01

He's a young man in a new league but I fear he will be maybe a 5-a-side goalscorer.

He will end up a journeyman with more clubs than goals.

Paul Griffiths 31 Posted 11/02/2026 at 20:10:25

Dave (8): 'We need to sign the Bournemouth, Brentford and Brighton talent spotters'.

Hallelujah, Brother Dave. And not just talent mate. TFG and Saint Daniel the Absent have had two windows now to sort out the deep structural issues up front and at full-back and have failed to do so.

I felt empathy and sympathy when I first saw dejected Barry with his head in his hands with rain pouring down, not least because nobody on his left or right seemed to be offering him any sort of support. Teammates eh! Mutualities and reciprocities eh!

When, 5 minutes later, Barry still had his head in his hands, I began to feel a little different. Someone like our self-designated 'keyboard warrior', Sean Kearns would call him a snowflake and tell him to man up and grow some balls.

I just felt that he needed to stop erring on the side of self-indulgence and avoidance and put on a professional face (watch the game) -- not one that did become a tad pathetic.

David West 32 Posted 11/02/2026 at 20:28:59

The only thing that's positive is his youth, he's new to the country, the Premier League, the demands. I'm not making excuses for him, plenty of young players come to the Premier League and hit the ground running.

Unlike Jelavic, Yakubu and Beto, he's on an upward trajectory in his career. You rarely improve a 28-year-old -- especially a Nigerian 28-year-old!!!

He shouldn't be our leading striker, that's the main issue, but he should be gaining experience, knowhow, and invaluable game time in what is still his first year in the hardest league in the world.

Merle Urquart 33 Posted 11/02/2026 at 20:37:19

As many other posters on TW have already suggested on previous HYS' we should really be looking at experimenting with Alcaraz or Ndiaye as a false 9 from now on, the two alternating incumbents do not in anyway shape or form cut the mustard in this league, both are facsimilies of each other, deceptively slow, awkward but not in a positive way, absolutely zero ball control, physically imposing but can't impose themselves, no ability to create chances themselves, very rarely in the right place at the right time but when they are my arse doesnt even leave the seat as the pair of them are consistently flagrant with relatively easy opportunities, they're going to carry on costing more points than they gain for us...l cant bear seeing either of them in a blue shirt, l don't see a single redeeming feature that suggests we should perservere with either. I work with fans of other clubs and they can't believe what we have up front. l'm ashamed to have given Lukaku stick for being a selfish fucker, he'd still put these two to shame

Frederick Parchment 34 Posted 11/02/2026 at 20:51:43

Ralph #11

With regards to Michael Keane playing as an auxiliary forward, I'm all for it with our present squad. He can head the ball, perfect target for crosses. He can shoot scoring goals.

With regards to the game, if Barry had scored his sitters, 3-0 up after 50+ minutes we all be having a different discussion. Our strikers have let us down so far this season when we needed them the most. The games we missed gilt edge chances have cost us points.

If we have just 1 player that can remedy that cause, we would all be looking forward European football (not to say it's beyond us at this point in time). We could be in a more comfortable position in the table regards to European qualifications.

Barry and Beto need to be relieved of their duties and have someone else have a go.

If you're missing sitters and we end up losing the game because of it, something has to change.

Thinking out loud.

Peter Mills 35 Posted 11/02/2026 at 21:05:07

Some very understandable comments on here, based on what this lad has shown so far.

Especially the ones from Messrs Jennings #9

and Abrahams Snr #10.

Tony Hughes 36 Posted 11/02/2026 at 21:12:25

Barry has over 160 senior matches under his belt, he's hardly an inexperienced kid.

This is the finished article. He isn't going to "come good" whatever that phrase means, you're either good or you're not. He isn't going to wake up mirning and be a cross between Haaland and Thierry Henry.

More fool our recruitment team.

Tony Hughes 37 Posted 11/02/2026 at 21:14:29

Sort the fucking edit button plesse

Derek Thomas 38 Posted 11/02/2026 at 21:43:35

Patric; about the Barry waiting for the ball. I thought the term...'I think there is a player in there' used to apply to Anichebe.

I seen him score...not prolifically obviously, this was again, as now, under a Moyesistic system...3, 4, different types of goals.

I was convinced he had it

Alas no,

One day the ball broke free on the edge of the box, nobody within 10yds.

What did our lad do? Nothing, he waited, looking.

He should've been on it like a Labrador on sausage dinner!

Ball?

MINE!

BAAAAALL

Barry though, he may make it...some time...in a different system...

He sat with his head in his hands, so he knows what went wrong, will he learn...will he be given time to learn...and how much do you give him.

John Collins 39 Posted 11/02/2026 at 22:47:54

Spot on Patric.

He needs to make the near post run more often

Mike Price 40 Posted 11/02/2026 at 00:05:09

Whoever scouted and recommended Beto and Barry should be removed and never have another job in football.

We’ve now got to manage their departures as skilfully as possible by talking them up and limiting their playing time so they don’t keep showing just how bad they are! We have to cut our losses, they are terrible footballers, completely unfit for purpose in this league.

Mykolenko is equally as bad too, so whichever clown is working on contracts had better not extend his contract nor give Coleman another charity contract.

Alan J Thompson 41 Posted 12/02/2026 at 04:40:15

Mike(#40); You mean like selling one to Juventus?

Si Cooper 42 Posted 12/02/2026 at 05:04:42

I tend to agree with Shaun at (21), although I think the very best strikers innately assume that desperate last millisecond block may transpire and so are no looking to direct the ball back towards the post it has come from.

How precise can xG be? It might look at the pace on the ball, the angle it comes from and the height it arrives at but it surely can’t take into account all (or any) of how quickly the ball is spinning and in what direction, the pace which the attacker is moving at their angle of approach (both of which will affect how balanced their reaction to meet the ball could be). Then there is whether they are mid-stride or right or left foot down when they first see and react to the goalie’s parry of the initial shot.

I reckon you should take that 0.72 with a massive pinch of salt.

Paul Griffiths 43 Posted 12/02/2026 at 06:21:12

The three hard-boiled eggs lasted 114 days at Forest. I'm trying not to be smug and smirk, never mind have a bit of a chortle. It's hard though. Dyche for me is so unlikeable with a somewhat inflated sense of himself and his abilities.

Where will the three hard-boiled eggs go next?

I might have a flutter on Burnley once SP resigns or gets fired. Nearly all males in Burnley are bald. Fact.

Tony Abrahams 44 Posted 12/02/2026 at 07:30:13

What a life Paul, with another few million in the bank, for a few months work, they will probably be in Dubia, by the weekend, staying in the finest hotels.

Befuddlement, Patric? I haven’t looked up the meaning yet but I’m certain I know what you mean though mate. I smiled to myself when I read that we had every single player bar Grealish, ready for selection, because I had a feeling this wouldn’t make a blind bit of difference to the manager, even though he’d had a little moan and said the league could have pushed the fixture back twenty four hours, to give the players more time to recover from the previous weekend’s game.

Actions speak a lot louder than words though, always have - always will, (I do worry about the way humanity is currently going) so who did David really expect to be kidding with that appeared to be a very plausible question?

Barry, was poor John, but there were times in the second half when we got the ball wide and he was the only Everton player, running towards the Bournemouth box, often surrounded by five defenders, which doesn’t really give him much of a chance whatever run he decides to make?

Paul Griffiths 45 Posted 12/02/2026 at 07:34:44

Wherever there's a curry going mate. Dyche choice always when the three hard-boiled eggs do Indian. Poppadoms for 9; nan bread for 6; meat dishes for 9; vegetables outlawed; 6 kingfishers, extra one for Woaney. No water.

Paul Griffiths 46 Posted 12/02/2026 at 07:35:27

Tony was 'mate' in 45.

John Collins 47 Posted 12/02/2026 at 08:05:02

One less dour,defense obsessed manager in the Prem.

Follow the trend.

Paul Griffiths 48 Posted 12/02/2026 at 08:13:04

Yep

Lee Courtliff 49 Posted 12/02/2026 at 08:16:49

Paul, I'm from Burnley and I'm bald!! My Mrs made comment on how many bald men there are here when she first moved to this area.

She even likes to count them when we're in a pub.

Paul Griffiths 50 Posted 12/02/2026 at 08:22:16

Brilliant Lee mate. You of the music taste too. Do you and the Mrs drink in the Dyche boozer mate?

Jim Bennings 51 Posted 12/02/2026 at 08:42:15

As much as many take humour from Dyches sacking, I can't think of anyone mental enough to want to being employed by the Greek Tragedy that owns that club.

Steve Brown 52 Posted 12/02/2026 at 08:58:46

With Spurs and Forest looking for new managers, and possibly Man Utd and Liverpool to follow in the summer, I am concerned how we will be able to hang on to our current manager.

Tony Abrahams 53 Posted 12/02/2026 at 09:02:11

I’m not laughing at him Jim, just stating that if you want to get the sack then what better environment than getting sacked as a football manager, because at least he will be getting paid a fortune to leave.

Even if it won’t currently feel like it is, it might actually be a blessing for Dyche, because he resides in Nottingham, so I’m sure he wouldn’t want to be the manager who takes them down.

There could be a massive irony, if Nuno, keeps The Hammers up, at the expense of Forest, although if I was Nuno, I’d definitely be looking to beef up my security if this happens!

Darren Hind 54 Posted 12/02/2026 at 09:06:44

I would sign for the Forest owner it in a heartbeat. 4m a year and you are almost guaranteed to get an early finish.

Dyche has earned more in compensation in 24 hours than those snigdering at him will earn in their entire lives.

John Collins 55 Posted 12/02/2026 at 09:16:08

What formation will you choose for your first game Gaffer?

Three at the back?

Darren Hind 56 Posted 12/02/2026 at 09:47:04

Have a nice day Ms Bodine

Raymond Fox 57 Posted 12/02/2026 at 09:48:31

Forests owner has more money than sense, if they go down it will be him thats got them relegated

Dyche will walze into another very well paid job no problem.

You only need to look at the examples of Franks and Potter to realise how difficult it is to nail down how good a manager is. Sometimes they do well whether by good judgement or lots of good luck they get a group of players that gell together and do very well.

Then they move and often flop, I think results are more to do with the players individual abilities, but its the manager that carries the can.

John Collins 58 Posted 12/02/2026 at 09:51:25

Are you looking for any coaching staff?

John Hall 59 Posted 12/02/2026 at 10:00:05

Is anyone worried about Moyes moving to another club? I doubt he'll leave such a cushy number that he has here. The only problem he has is finding a pen to sign his next 5 year contract with us!

Paul Griffiths 60 Posted 12/02/2026 at 10:01:20

Not exactly an endorsement of him Darren mate. He's just one of a bunch of useless clueless twats spinning in limbo.

The three hard-boiled eggs, a caricature, three dickheads, curry lovers. Woaney loves a triple quarter-pounder. Dickead Dyche in his KES tracksuit with a bit of 5 inch dick on display like a ski-jumper and girl-creep voice, is a failing also-ran.

Remember the he kept us up brigade, when his three-month record from mid-December created the crisis in the first place.

The three hard-boiled eggs saved us from themselves.

Dyche has been sacked everywhere he goes.

Reading or Bolton beckons creepy gob but the two Phil Neal's/Taylor Stonsey and Woansey bullet heads will go wherever you drag them down through the leagues.

The new Fun Boy Three. 'It aint what you do etc. '

Robert Williams 61 Posted 12/02/2026 at 10:01:38

Simply not good enough for Everton.

Nice lad. Get rid.

Brian Harrison 62 Posted 12/02/2026 at 10:24:49

The Nottingham Forest owner deserves all he gets I am far from a fan of Dyche but Mariakas is looking for his 4th manager this season. He sacked a man who against all the odds got them Europa league football.

I am sure Alex Ferguson is delighted that he managed in a time were clubs gave managers the most important thing which is time, he went 6 years without winning a trophy.

Thats why I find it strange that Everton for the last 4/5 seasons have been a relegation threatened side, but we get a manager in who within weeks had got us away from the relegation zone, and with less than a dozen games left this season has got us to 8th, yet there are many on here calling for his head. Also add to that he has had to work with a recruitment team who seem to be clueless. I could understand the call for Moyes to be sacked if we were still 16th or 17th and no visible improvement.

Eddie Dunn 63 Posted 12/02/2026 at 10:43:12

Dyche has won six, lost eight and four draws. Lower mid table form, and they had 35 shots(10) on target the other day.

Dyche would have kept them safe.

They deserve everything they get...and remember our points deduction was harsher than their's.

Ian Bennett 64 Posted 12/02/2026 at 10:46:35

agree Eddie & Brian. Does sacking the manager is improve the immediate problem? I think it makes them worst.

John Collins 65 Posted 12/02/2026 at 10:56:25

Brian 62,

Imo we wont finish in the top half of the table.

At what finishing position would you consider the question would have to be asked on Moyes?

Eddie Dunn 66 Posted 12/02/2026 at 10:57:20

Brian, you are right. Moyes is not everyone's cup of tea but he has clearly improved us and although like jury is out on Barry, we had a coup getting Grealish and Dewsbury-Hall is equally good. With Branthwaite now recovered and Afon over we are well placed for our best finish in many a long year. I am baffled by the full back situation, and the huge fee for Dibling, but it is no coincidence that neither Dyche nor Moyes rates Patto. If it was just one of them I could accept it was a personal issue.

It will be interesting to see our defence next game.

Mark Taylor 67 Posted 12/02/2026 at 11:09:01

I'd keep Barry for another year but as number 2 striker and get shot of Beto, who in any case might be more marketable. Of course that means we must bring in a viable number 1 striker in summer, whatever the cost.

In the short term, I've long advocated giving Ndiaye a go as a number 9. He is just about the fastest player we've got (maybe now second to George) and I think he is a more natural finisher than either Barry or Beto. The only problem with this idea is that Grealish is injured, Dibling appears to have totally lost the manager's confidence so we are thin out wide. Nice idea but maybe not practical.

I don't envy anyone playing as a striker in our team. We aren't dynamic, we lack pace and we don't have attacking full backs helping with crosses. I'm not sure even Thierry Henry would make much out of the regular hoofs upfield that form the main basis of our play. Even so, it is a sad reflection on our recruitment that the two big money signings of last summer have flopped so spectacularly. I'd still love to know if those two had Moyes' enthusiastic endorsement or were just presented to him as 'the future'.

Merle Urquart 68 Posted 12/02/2026 at 11:45:13

I think its plausible that if we don't qualify for Europe this season we may lose Ndiaye and Branthwaite in the summer plus find it hard to attract a decent calibre to replace them...so although we are not fighting relegation this season what we do this season might have longer term effects.

Ian Wilkins 69 Posted 12/02/2026 at 12:12:55

Dyche did a job for us when we were headed downwards, plus he was the mouthpiece to fans and for the club, when all we had was chaotic silence ( now we just have silence).

He’s due some credit.

But, he is a dinosaur of a football manager.

Comments coming out from Forest players…

‘ He never explained tactics fully. Front players were isolated, wingers playing as second full backs. Training was running, then more running’.

Don’t feel too sorry for him, he’s not done too badly from limited capability.

Matt Traynor 70 Posted 12/02/2026 at 12:30:00

Merle #68, sadly I think you may be right. We've been a selling club for a long time now. Ultimately if a player wants to go, he will go. Doesn't help when the ownership are keen to look for a good return.

Happened with Rooney. when BK tried to sell him to Chelsea, then got Newcastle to smoke out Man U. And we got a crap deal out of it. £10m up front, and a load of add ons based on their success - most of which actually got triggered. The only saving grace is the Man U fans are sick that their record goalscorer is a Scouser.

Even going back to Lineker - after that one season when he was top scorer (and we didn't win anything) - he never asked to go. But Carter accepted a bid from Barcelona that trebled the money we paid for him, and he was off. And we named a stand after Carter.

Older fans than me will say we did the same thing with Alan Ball...

Tony #36 - you reminded me of the funny story (which I had to Google to check the names). Partick Thistle had a strike called Colin McGlashan was knocked uncounscious during a game. After he came round, the trainer said to the manager "he doesn't know who he is". Quick as flash, John Lambie said "Tell him he's Pele, and get him back out there".

Ron Haslam 71 Posted 12/02/2026 at 12:31:02

Barry and Beto have in my opinion been given enough opportunities and apart from constantly missing gilt edged chances their ball control and technical ability is dire. They should both be moved on asap. In the mean time I would play Michael Keane up front, he can't do any worse than these two. I would also consider giving Dibling an opportunity to play down the middle. Unfortunately it's obvious Moyes doesn't rate him but at least he is good technically. His confidence must be shot with the way he's been treated by Moyes.

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