What do Beto and Thierno Barry each bring to the Everton side? | OneFootball

The last Everton striker to score more than 20 goals in a season was Romelu Lukaku in 2016-17, when he scored 25. Since then, Dominic Calvert-Lewin came close in 2020-21, when he found the net 16 times in the Premier League.

But outside of those two seasons, Everton haven’t had a player break the 15-goal mark in seven of the last nine seasons.

Oumar Niasse, Sandro Ramirez, Cenk Tosun, Moise Kean, Salomon Rondon, and Neil Maupay are some of the players bought since then in an attempt to add goals.

This season, it’s Beto and new signing 22-year-old Thierno Barry trying, and so far failing, to score goals up front for Everton. Barry is yet to score his first goal for the club, while Beto has scored once in the Premier League against Wolves and once against Mansfield in the League Cup.

The stats don’t make great reading for Everton supporters. Of the 44 strikers who’ve played in the Premier League this season, only Jean Phillipe-Mateta is underperforming his expected goals more than Beto, who’s scored once off an xG of 2.5. Barry sits eleventh on that list, with an xG of 0.5 without a goal.

For reference, seven players have scored more than their expected goals this season: Jarrod Bowen leads the list with three goals from an xG of 0.8, and former Everton striker Richarlison isn’t far behind with three goals from an xG of 1.7.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who left Everton over the summer, has scored once for Leeds from an xG of 1.3.

So, if they aren’t scoring goals for the Toffees, what else do the two strikers bring to the team?

One of Barry or Beto has been on the pitch for every minute of play this season, with Beto playing almost exactly twice as many minutes as the young Frenchman. Six of Everton’s Premier League goals came when Beto was up top, while three came with Barry up front. Not statistically significant considering the amount of time each has been on the pitch.

With points, it's the same story. In matches where Beto started up front, the Toffees have won one, drawn two, and lost two.

While Everton won both matches where Thierno Barry started up front, most recently against Crystal Palace, but it was Beto on for both of Everton’s goals after replacing Barry at half-time.

Everton’s two best performances of the season are still probably the two victories over Brighton and Wolves back in August, where Barry started against Brighton and Beto started against Wolves.

When looking at the individual statistics, Beto averages more shots per game than Barry, with 2.3 compared to Barry’s 1.7, but underperforms him in other attacking areas.

Barry averages roughly 12 successful passes per 90, whereas Beto averages just under seven.

Barry also averages more touches when on the pitch and more yards carrying the football. But fewer of his touches are in the opposition's penalty area.

All this suggests that, while Beto is more involved in and around the opposition's goal, Barry is playing a larger role in the build-up play.

Watching them play confirms this. Against Brighton, Barry played a big role in both of Everton’s goals, but did so outside the penalty area.

In both instances, good hold-up play and one-touch passes from the young striker helped kick off Everton’s attacking moves.

This kind of technical play, the ability to find passes in tight areas and control the ball with one touch, is something that Beto often lacks. Too frequently does Beto’s first touch pop off his shin and straight to an opposition player, ending a move before it starts.

But in the box, it’s a different story. Beto’s always looking to get in front of defenders. As soon as the ball goes wide, Beto’s often seen sprinting straight for the space between the posts.

His spacing and physicality in a crowded box set him up better to get on the end of crosses or occupy one or two central defenders to free up a trailing runner.

Barry doesn’t look as confident in the box. Despite being 6ft-5in, he isn’t shoving off defenders or throwing his body in front of them; he tends to sit back and try to beat them for pace when the ball comes in.

This also shows on the defensive side, Beto’s winning more tackles and duels than his younger counterpart.

The good thing for Everton is that Barry can develop these skills; learning how to find space in the box, and use his size against bigger, more physical Premier League defenders, is something that won’t come right away.

For now, they both offer different things: one is chaos in the opposition's box; the other is a technical player who can link up with the midfield. If they can improve their finishing, then David Moyes could have two useful attacking options suitable for different scenarios.

Reader Comments (40)

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Si Cooper 1 Posted 10/10/2025 at 14:12:17

‘Data suggests…’, or your own eyes tell you!

Christy Ring 2 Posted 10/10/2025 at 14:55:22

You say Beto wins more tackles and duels on his defensive game, that's probably after he loses possession on his first touch.

I haven't seen what they bring to the side this season. We're crying out for a striker in January.

Jeff Armstrong 4 Posted 10/10/2025 at 15:21:57

On another topic can we have an update to the front page of this site please, lots of ex-players on the top banner and the league table 3 months out of date.

Robert Tressell 5 Posted 10/10/2025 at 15:25:34

Les # 3,

Very accurately captured what our strikers currently bring to the table there!

Jay Harris 6 Posted 10/10/2025 at 15:38:34

Is itall the strikers' fault or the way we are set up.

It was noticeable that Beto has had his best games when Alcaraz is playing centrally.

On the other hand, Barry, while offering better ball control with his feet, is absolutely dreadful in the air which given his size is a major problem.

So for me neither striker is the answer but we can improve returns with better provision of chances.

On the subject of strikers, I just hope we don't go for another Man Utd reject in Zirkzee.

If we haven't got the funds give the youth lads a chance now and again.

Martin Farrington 7 Posted 10/10/2025 at 16:31:40

This is tough because neither are very good.

I don't see too much of anything.

Beto will make an effort to track and close, more as a sub than a starter. He has pace. He can make tap ins. Dont laugh DCL missed loads of them. He does get into the right position occasionally. But Moyes does not tactically play to what little strengths he has. Probably he never will instead looking for goals from elsewhere.

Barry has nothing. He doesnt close down. He is bereft of pace. He cant control a ball with any part of his body. Has he had a shot yet ? I cant recall. He has to be loaned out for his benefit. See if its just nerves affecting him, because at present he is at poor amateur level.

Realistically neither should be here. I don't blame them. The club acted irresponsibly signing both.

David Bromwell 8 Posted 10/10/2025 at 17:09:05

When I first saw Beto play, I thought he was terrible and lacked any sort of skills, however, he did win me over, and there were games last season when I was more than happy to see him in the team. This season, with more technical players around him he has looked like the proverbial 'fish out of water'. Except in the last game against Palace, when he seemed back to his marauding best, and in that form he has plenty to offer.

Barry on the other hand has been a big disappointment so far. I do see him constantly asking for an early ball, but apart from Alcaraz all our other forward players like to hold on to the ball and when it eventually comes he is unable to throw off his marker. So to date he has been poor, and unlike Beto he seems unwilling or unable to use his physicality.

So for me Beto starts and Barry is given 20 minutes at the end of games we are winning in the hope that this helps him develop into a more effective player..

Andrew Merrick 9 Posted 10/10/2025 at 17:19:01

I thought Beto showed something last season, his style was and still is awkward, but given a bit of space, he scored a few goals. But he hasn't developed or showed any more yet, in fact, if anything, he has regressed.

The effort and heart are there, I wanted him to get up to Premier League speed, settle in, get his touch, use his size, worry defenders, cause a bit of nuisance, upset defences... but not seen that recently, sad to say.

I just can't weigh Barry up, he lost it at Wolves, had a second chance vs West Ham, came up short...

I'm not sure what we have bought?

Christine Foster 11 Posted 10/10/2025 at 17:43:21

Angus, dress it up as nicely as you like but neither is doing the job we pay them for.

Now if you would have asked why that is, it would have been a more realistic evaluation of either player. But truth be told, Beto is a bull in a China shop, just like The Stracq, while Barry needs to either go out on loan or go to a club that plays a different style of play.

One thing is quite clear: neither possesses enough skill to make a difference in this Everton team. To that extent, both players' signings have been an unmitigated disaster. The choice is between one player with little skill versus one player with no presence.

The effect of playing either negates the overall value of the rest of the team, not just becoming a '10-man' team, but actually much worse. Without them, the team would probably adapt better... still toothless -- but not as frustrating!

Jeff Armstrong 12 Posted 10/10/2025 at 18:38:25

Lets all be honest, we can analyse all we want, our first impressions of Beto have proven to be correct.

Our first impressions of Lukaku were correct; our first impressions of Latchford, Andy Johnson, David Smallman, James Beatie, Graham Sharp, Andy Gray, Dennis Stracqualursi, Moise Kean etc etc have mostly proven to be correct.

First impressions count a lot; my first impressions of Beto and Barry…

Both are shite.

Someone name me forwards in particular whose first impressions proved to be wrong.

Let's have a (boring weekend of international football) debate!

Dale Self 13 Posted 10/10/2025 at 19:35:37

I came here for the humour but apparently was not in time for Les's contribution.

Mike Price 14 Posted 10/10/2025 at 22:03:26

Martin #7 and Jeff #12 both hit the nail on the head.

They are the worst two strikers in the league, which would be bad if they were academy players but together they cost over £50M. I've said it before but whoever scouted, sanctioned or fell for the con, in bringing these players to Everton are not fit for purpose.

Thankfully Thelwell has gone to Rangers, where he's not very popular, but someone else thought we could splash £27M on a player who wouldn't get a kick in the Championship.

When Beto had a purple patch last season, it was much needed and appreciated, but it was still obvious he was basically rubbish. We should have unloaded him off the back of that, and taken anything we could get for him.

It's not rocket science and we shouldn't be finding it this difficult to get a couple of pacy front men who can control a football, especially for £50M. The only club who get ripped off more than us is Man Utd.

Mike Gaynes 16 Posted 10/10/2025 at 23:20:49

Mike #14, correct me if I'm wrong but by my unofficial count that is five current Everton players that you have ranked as the "worst in the league" -- the others being Mykolenko, Keane and (last season) McNeil.

And despite my uncertain elderly memory, I believe you previously painted Onana, Young, Doucoure and Calvert-Lewin with the same description.

If we're truly saddled with that many "worsts", it would appear Moyes is an absolute miracle worker to have produced 1½ points per game.

Was that your intended message?

Ben King 18 Posted 10/10/2025 at 00:08:12

Beto is crap for where we are trying to get to. However, given where we were (skint, had no money for down payment, fighting relegation etc), he's all we could get and fairness, hit double figures last season- no mean feat

The Barry signing is the odd one. I personally don't see this magnificent link play. He's done ok in a few situations. He's done terrible in many many more and doesn't even show for the ball that well. I would struggle to find another 6ft 5 bloke so bereft of pace and so poor in the air.

He can't seem to make space for himself, nor get a shot off, nor show anything that makes one feel like he just needs time. He looks absolutely useless.

Rokas Grajauskas 19 Posted 11/10/2025 at 00:40:28

I would go with playing Barry in the first halves and Beto after the breaks. It would give Barry some much-needed confidence and let him develop with a tiny bit less pressure.

As for Beto, not only do his physical attributes shine brighter if he's fresh-legged against a more tired opposition, he also comes in hungry to prove himself and stumbling over his own mental hurdles way less.

In other words, the team has to find a formula for how to squeeze as much potential as possible from two limited players. The aforementioned choice seems like the most plausible option.

Mike Price 20 Posted 11/10/2025 at 08:28:46

Mike Gaynes #16 I'm afraid it must be your memory or you're mixing me up.

The only other one of the players you mentioned, who I believe to be a ‘worst' is Mykolenko.

Terry Farrell 21 Posted 11/10/2025 at 08:46:53

Si spot on, Rokas that could be the way forward. It worked against Palace for sure. My frustration is we have spent nearly £60m on these two in total. There was a player in there under performing at Man U Rasmus H we could have got for say £30m fast 22yr old and proven goal scorer who lost his way. He would have thrived at Everton as he is now doing at Napoli!I think zirkee is in the same boat but he would be more a a risk.

Sean Kelly 22 Posted 11/10/2025 at 08:56:52

Nothing

Ian Bennett 23 Posted 11/10/2025 at 10:07:44

Terry, I like you would have gone in for Hojland.

But the reality is the opportunity for a fresh start, in a new country at a top team in european football, was far better than we could offer.

Robert Tressell 24 Posted 11/10/2025 at 11:22:34

There was no realistic prospect of us signing Rasmus Hojlund -- that's just a fantasy. He has joined Napoli on loan.

Napoli are current Serie A Champions, could go deep into the Champions League, and are likely to end the season with silverware and a Champions League place again.

Being on loan, he has maintained his £85k p/w wage.

He also knows Serie A well having played for Atalanta.

I also can't see why Man Utd would have considered letting him go for £30M. Why would they do that? If he performs well in Serie A (as he already seems to be doing) then he will probably command a fee of more like £50M or £60 M (having bought him for about £72M).

You have to ask, why would he be remotely interested in joining Everton. And why would Man Utd have sold for such a small fee as £30M?

You also have to ask how his form would be playing for a patchy side undergoing a rebuild -- compared with probably the best side in Serie A. I think it's safe to say he would be finding it a lot harder.

I expect Everton and David Moyes would have very much wanted some of the strikers who moved this summer - like Isak, Ekitike, Gyokeres, Joao Pedro and Muani etc. And we obviously had a go at getting Delap and possibly Woltemade too. Unfortunately, we are too poor and too far off being an attractive prospect to compete.

For the ones which were more realistic, let's see how they are doing at their new clubs:

Evan Ferguson: loan (0 goals, 1 assist for Roma)Brian Brobbey: €20.00m (0 goals, 0 assists for SunderlandArmando Broja: €23.00m (0 goals, 0 assists for Burnley)Tolu Arokdare: €26.00m (0 goals, 0 assists for Wolves)Conrad Harder: €24.00m (0 goals, 0 assists for Leipzig)Hamza Igamane: €11.50m (2 goals, 1 assist for Lille)Evan Guessand: €30.00m (0 goals, 0 assists for Villa)Mihailo Ivanovic: didn't move in the end... (0 goals, 1 assist for Millwall)Ang Yoan-Bonny: €23.00m (2 goals, 3 assists for Inter)Mika Bierith: didn't move in the end... (1 goal, 0 assists for Monaco)

Amongst this lot, Thierno Barry (€30.00m) hardly stands out as a disaster.

Beto is the better player right now, but I think he's far better off the bench when he has energy to burn.

I never saw Barry play before he signed but he must have shown something. Playing up front for Everton has been a poison chalice the last decade. But now we actually have some decent players who can keep hold of the ball.

I think we need to decide what we want. A target man or someone who wants to get in behind. Calvert-Lewin, despite his faults, was far better at both than either Beto or Barry.

I would be very tempted to play Ndiaye, Alcaraz or Keane up front -- depending who is required elsewhere. Even McNeil. At least he can get hold of the football.

Terry Farrell 26 Posted 11/10/2025 at 11:56:07

mShot me down in flames there Rob 😂

My opinion is he would join for the same reason as Grealish. New stadium; team on the up; revive your career; Premier League is better than Serie A etc. £30M mentioned as they were after cash at the end of the deadline. May not have been a realistic figure.

Sean Mitchell 27 Posted 11/10/2025 at 12:35:26

It still baffles me that we don’t have a striker coach.

There’s 2 aren’t going to improve by just coaching.

Barry looked good in Spain. Maybe the prem is too hard for him.

But he looks like he’s got zero idea what he’s doing.

When he tried to run past Guehi was embarrassing.

Zero awareness of the runner behind Guehi.

The issue needs addressing or it’ll cost a lot of points. That includes both strikers.

I've seen nothing from Barry to suggest he has much, if anything, to contribute at present. He looks awful on pretty much every count, passing, control, heading, you name it. If I were trying to find some positives, or at least a defence, I'd say his confidence is totally shot and so has zero belief in anything he does right now and that, maybe, just maybe, he may be better with balls slotted through down the side, especially the left. I've seen him calling for those balls several times in the last game but none were ever played. Maybe if he had a break, a goal off his backside, he'd blossom but I'm not convinced and I'm especially not convinced he is a lone striker.

We have seen enough of Beto to know he is a heffalump. Tenacity is his main skillset. There's not much else. Again, if I try to find a positive, every time he has played with Charlie, he looks that little bit more effective. Maybe we have to persevere with that to restore a semblance of potency upfront and find a different role for KDH.

Early days but if you look at the EPL top scorers, you have Jaiden Anthony costing less than £10m, Igor Thiago for £30m and Wilson Isidor for £5m. Maybe they won't keep it up. But I think all of them look better players than our two. On those top scorers, ours, Ndiaye, leads the way on both shot accuracy and goal conversion. It's why I think he's worth a try.

Robert Tressell 30 Posted 11/10/2025 at 13:37:00

You're right, Mark.

There are some other forwards doing well at this early stage. Anthony, Isidor and Thiago are doing well - although Thiago (€33.00m) cost a bit more than Barry (€30.00m) and that was before prices really exploded to a new level this summer.

It's probably also interesting to look at the form of the Premier League strikers who cost more than the €30.00m we paid for Barry this summer - just to illustrate how hard it is to find a reliable goal scorer:

Sesko (€76.50m to Man Utd) - 2 goals, no assists in 7 gamesWoltemade (€75.00m to Newcastle) - 3 goals, no assists in 4 gamesGyokeres (€65.80m to Arsenal) - 3 goals, no assists in 7 gamesWissa (€57.70m to Newcastle) - not playedPedro (€63.70m to Chelsea) - 2 goals, 3 assists in 7 gamesDelap (€35.50m to Chelsea) - 0 goals, 0 assists in 3 gamesTel (€35.00m to Spurs) - 1 goal, 0 assists in 5 gamesKostoulas (€35.00m to Brighton) - not played

These strikers are all playing in much better sides than Everton too.

And it's fair to say that its not long ago at all that the likes of Delap, Woltemade and Wissa were very ordinary (or even fairly rubbish) looking strikers. So maybe the morale of the story is that it can take strikers a little while to find a decent rhythm and it can take time for sides to organise in such a way that suits the strikers too.

Conor McCourt 31 Posted 11/10/2025 at 13:40:34

I can't understand for the life of me why some of our fanbase are so quick to bury a guy who was most likely to need at least 6 months to fully adapt to the Premier League.

For years on here I have seen posters crying that they would love our club to follow the example of Brentford and Brighton putting them forward as the beacons for transfer recruitment and then when we do with the likes of Aznou, Barry and Rohl the players either get labelled shit, unprepared or injury prone because they aren't tearing up the Prem instantly.

When these clubs bring through the likes of Wissa, Schade, Evanilson etc they don't get exposed straight away and even these players were more experienced, older and were more advanced in their footballing education. Barry is a late bloomer who has risen up the ranks exponentially

I myself would have hoped for more from Thiermo. Last season he seemed like a real box player yet so far all of his best work came through his link up play against Brighton. This player has undoubted quality and until now has made the step up to everything asked of him. This is a guy with pedigree, scores with one touch finishes, tortured Barcelona's defence previously and was good enough to make the grade for a star studded French u21 squad. Indeed he is rated very highly within their system, so he is definitely no mug.

He has clearly had a culture shock with the pace and physicality of the Premier League and the physical advantage he had over Spanish defences is now one of his weaknesses. I don't think it is a coincidence his best performance came against Brighton who are a more technical side and are more cultured than aggressive with their defending.

I believe the strategy was flawed during the summer, not because of Barry's signing but due to the reliance on Beto. Our recruitment team will have felt they had a reliable striker with Premier League goals, Ndiaye who has the capability to play there and Barry who will have been seen as great value in the current market and a 'project' signing who we could hope to develop and chip in along the way.

I highlighted back then that we should have cashed in on Beto when his star was at it's brightest. Two names I mentioned were Ferguson and Hoijlund. I disagree with posters suggesting the latter was unattainable. Man Utd were desperate to offload the player all summer and wanted a quick sale. Had any club came in then there would have been a real possibility of a transfer.

Napoli didn't enter until very late in the window and it was only then that they had to succumb to a loan but insisted on the obligation to buy at 38m euros. Anything he does in Napoli won't change his value.United wanted the cash to use in the last transfer window, their agreement with Napoli was a climb down as no one came up with the cash offer.

Mark Taylor 33 Posted 11/10/2025 at 13:55:14

Robert,

I think the difference here is that while there are strikers out there who have not delivered a final product, or at least not enough of it, few, if any of the players you reference do not and have ever looked as consistently woeful as our two. Barry in particular looks like a player belonging 2 or 3 leagues below and I've watched a fair bit of football at this level (Forest Green).

I guess it is possible for ugly ducklings to turn into swans, but this ugly?

Robert Tressell 34 Posted 11/10/2025 at 14:31:13

Mark, you may end up being right about Barry. None of know yet. He was a low cost option and it's no surprise he needs some time.

Conor, I didn't realise Napoli had an option to buy on Hojlund. Google tells me the loan plus option to buy is €50.00m (£44m). As you say that was a fairly late compromise by Man Utd too - who would presumably have wanted a higher fee earlier in the window. Hard for us to compete with that.

I do agree that Ferguson is a good striker though and would have been very happy with him (I felt he had more ability than Delap). He's had a tough start to life in Serie A though (still getting over injury?) and I don't know what the Roma fans make of him. It might be that we could get him next summer.

Conor McCourt 36 Posted 11/10/2025 at 14:55:13

No Robert the figures doing the rounds were always 38million all summer, that was their set fee. Sorry that must have been pounds (44m. euros). Obviously Napoli couldn't afford to pay up front (PSR or unless they needed to sell). Presumably United must have demanded the loan fee on top of the price set as they had already turn down straight loan offers for the player and had a set fee. Perhaps that was the compromise and why they climbed down, opportunity cost of not being able to use the cash now

He was financially very attainable considering we have spent the guts of £30 million dead money on a number ten with which we didn't really need strengthening.

Ferguson has started well with 2 motm performances in his 3 starts as well as an assist. He hasn't scored yet mind you though was keeping Dobvyk who was prolific last season and Dyabala out of the side before he got a little knock which Irish fans feared he might miss the upcoming qualifiers. Thankfully it was only a small knock and should play.

Yeah they like him a lot there.

I would suggest the fee must have been their break even point of PSR (64 million with 2 years ran on his 5 yr contract)

Paul Kossoff 37 Posted 11/10/2025 at 15:01:20

Very little, I would rather have Chermiti, and that's saying something.Beto has pace, quick off the start, but the way we play he's not getting his pace used. Barry, another Moyes not ready, £27 million, along with a full back £9 million not ready, Patterson, not fit for purpose, Coleman, a traveling Wilbury, ( look it up,) Come back Lukaku, all is forgiven.

Robert 34

On the other hand, maybe I can look forward to you telling me in a year or so, having just watched him knock in a hat-trick against the RS, "I told you there was a player in there '

Michael Kenrick 39 Posted 11/10/2025 at 15:05:36

Love your post, Jeff @12, made me smile... or at least grimace.

In his first season, Jermaine Beckford somehow got us 10 goals, starting less than half the games.

But re-reading his Player Profile after 15 years (included some unabashed anti-Moyes critique from back then) gives watching Barry the feeling of déjà vu all over again.

Conor - you're right, the option to buy seems to be the £38m / €44.00m. It's the loan fee that makes up the remainder of £5.2m / €6.00m. So a total of £43.2m / €50.00m.

No argument by the way that we could have organised our spending differently. I would have organised the spending differently if I was in charge. So yes, fair enough, in theory we could have afforded Hojlund by saving €28.00m on Dewsbury-Hall having already bought Alcaraz for much the same sort of position.

Then it comes down to whether he would have wanted to come if Napoli were also interested. I find that very fanciful to be honest. I don't think many non-Everton fans would disagree with me.

Anyway, good to keep an eye on Ferguson. Who knows, TFG's plan may be to rehabilitate him at Roma and then secure him long term for Everton.

With respect Robert the point being that Napoli only came in late and united needed the money as they wanted a goalkeeper and a central midfielder.

If Utd received the amount from any club then I would imagine it would have been go or stay here and don't play.

He may not have wanted to come as you say, though more sought after players like Grealish had already joined, but at that point rumours were of Sunderland and Fulham being in the running.

On the theme of the thread it's clear from our strategy that KDH was a Moyes signing and so he would have had to convince the recruitment team of his role and importance to spend such a large outlay on a player with little resale value. He has played as a number ten since preseason. The fact we signed Charly and Rohl means Jack was always destined for the left and no doubt the England carrot was dangled.(Despite what we as fans may have thought).

This in itself tells us that Ndiaye must have been considered by the recruitment team as a striker or a right winger (as only a back up on the left or a ten) since he would have been expected to start and they had forked out a lot of money on two experienced players to have an instant impact.