Former Everton striker Louis Saha has been speaking about Thierno Barry and the current side’s chances of qualifying for Europe
Thierno Barry has netted four goals in his last five starts for Everton but former Blues striker Louis Saha claims his fellow Frenchman is not clinical enough. Since Barry netted the clincher for David Moyes’ side in their 2-0 win at Nottingham Forest on December 30, only Igor Thiago – who became the first player to score at hat-trick at Hill Dickinson Stadium in Brentford’s win there on January 4 – has netted more Premier League goals.
Barry also found the net that day to register in back-to-back fixtures and he has repeated the trick in his last couple of outings, hitting the winner at Aston Villa with a composed strike, dinking the ball into Emiliano Martinez’s net before providing the equaliser in the 1-1 draw at home to Leeds United on Monday with a predatory close range finish. However, Saha who having been signed by Moyes, netted 35 goals in 115 games for Everton between 2008-12, including one after just 25 seconds in the 2009 FA Cup final, and he played in a side that finished fifth, eighth and seventh in the Premier League in his three full seasons on Merseyside, believes the £27million signing from Villarreal still has much to learn.
The 47-year-old, who was speaking to casino comparison site, Gambling.com, said: “We said it straightaway when we saw Thierno sign. He has a very similar profile to the players that they had before.
“I didn’t see the kind unplayable player that Everton really need at the moment. They have really good wingers.
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Chris Beesley
“Jack Grealish has come in, although he is now injured, and you have Iliman Ndiaye on the other side who is very strong. They are now creating a bit more which is good, but they need a clinical player at the top.
“That’s not the case at the moment. This is why they can’t finish in sixth, seventh or eighth because they are not clinical enough and this is why I think teams who have a strong defence but don’t have a clinical player up front, will end up in the middle of the table.
“That’s basically it, because their games are very tight in the Premier League. The details, like you say, are very small, like one inch here or one inch there, you lose a game and that’s what has happened to Everton.
“Barry, in that sense, needs to improve his positioning. He’s still a young player.
“His finishing, obviously, is very important. In the same way, he needs to be able to read the game, sense blood when the defenders are struggling but I don’t think he senses that.
“So he goes into contact when he needs to go on the shoulder. Stuff like this is just because he is young.
“It’s a bit similar situation with Benjamin Sesko at Manchester United and Barry, asking a player that young to understand all those little parameters is extremely demanding. So, for me, there have been a few mistakes.
“Dominic Calvert-Lewin left and maybe didn’t have that as well, so it’s a bit difficult. The main focus needs to be very consistent because they have struggled for the last three years and I think it’s good to see them in that position and they will solve this year by year, I would say.”