Thierno Barry Fires Everton Past Ipswich as Sole Striker Option
Thierno Barry’s improvised finish was enough to give Everton a 1-0 Premier League win over Ipswich Town and extend their unbeaten start to seven matches, but the performance also underlined the scale of the responsibility now resting on the 23-year-old striker. With Beto sold and a series of deadline-day pursuits abandoned, Barry is Everton’s only recognised centre-forward.
Barry supplies the decisive touch
Everton took the lead after 11 minutes when James Tarkowski struck a first-time volley from range. The attempt looked to be travelling away from goal, but Barry adjusted in front of Christian Walton and diverted the ball in with his upper thigh.
It was Barry’s second league goal of the campaign and his fifth across all competitions. More importantly, it moved David Moyes’ side into seventh place before the extended international break.
Barry nearly produced a more conventional second shortly before the hour. He met Kieran Dewsbury-Hall’s corner with a sharply directed header over his left shoulder and past Walton, only for VAR to rule it out. Brennan Johnson, positioned offside in front of the goalkeeper, was judged to have affected play.
Everton were left to defend their narrow lead through a tense closing period, even after Ipswich’s Abdul Fatawu was sent off following a second yellow card. The dismissal came amid claims of simulation, adding another contentious VAR-and-officiating moment to the afternoon.
A forward’s work without the ball
The goal was only part of Barry’s contribution. He covered 11 kilometres and registered 20 sprints, both the highest totals in the match. In the seventh minute of added time, he was still tracking back from halfway to deal with a cross from the right before pursuing the loose ball.
That energy reflects the qualities Moyes has repeatedly identified in the Lyon-born forward: physical presence, aerial ability, pace, defensive work and the capacity to link play. Standing 6ft 5in, Barry has also shown intelligence in attacking wide channels and offering a target for Everton’s improving supply from crosses.
Moyes explained earlier in the year that a striker must offer more than goals. The manager said players must perform for the side, retain possession, connect attacks and provide creativity, even when they are not scoring. He had also admitted Barry had been below his level in certain matches, while stressing the forward’s progress and potential.
| Barry v Ipswich | Figure |
|---|---|
| Goals | 1 |
| Shots | 3 |
| Shots on target | 1 |
| Distance covered | 11 km |
| Sprints | 20 |
Deadline-day failures have changed the picture
Barry had expected competition for the central role at the start of the window. He and Guinea-Bissau international Beto had shared the job last season, without either making it unquestionably his own, and Everton initially appeared set to add another experienced option.
Moyes explored a £35 million move to bring Richarlison back from Tottenham, but the Brazil international could not settle personal terms. Everton then permitted Beto to join Fiorentina while pursuing Folarin Balogun.
A deal of about £40 million was agreed with Monaco for the United States forward, but an issue identified during his medical altered the process. The clubs renegotiated and submitted a deal sheet, yet Balogun ultimately withdrew from the transfer.
Late possibilities involving Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee and Aston Villa’s Tammy Abraham also came to nothing. The only late arrival, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, has quickly addressed Everton’s right-back shortage, but the failure to land a striker left a far more serious concern.
- Everton considered a £35 million return for Richarlison, but personal terms were not agreed.
- Beto departed for Fiorentina as Everton moved for Balogun in a proposed £40 million transfer from Monaco.
- Medical complications prompted revised terms, before Balogun decided against joining.
- Moves for Zirkzee and Abraham did not develop before the window shut.
- Barry then delivered the winner against Ipswich as Everton’s sole specialist No. 9.
Goals must now match the promise
Everton paid £27 million to sign Barry from Villarreal after he scored 11 La Liga goals in his final season in Spain. His first English campaign brought encouraging flashes, but only eight Premier League goals from 38 appearances. He did not score his first league goal until early December, on his 17th outing.
The previous rotation with Beto reduced the spotlight on Barry but also interrupted his run of starts. Moyes was required to explain his omission against Newcastle United in February, when the manager made clear that standards in the wider performance remained important.
Barry’s record still invites scrutiny. Only four Premier League clubs have scored fewer goals than Everton this season despite their unbeaten seven-game run, and a striker who converted just one of three attempts against Ipswich will be expected to become more clinical.
- Everton are unbeaten after seven league fixtures and sit seventh during the international break.
- Barry has five goals in all competitions, including two in the league.
- His ruled-out header prevented Everton from making the closing stages more comfortable.
- With no other recognised senior centre-forward available, Everton need Barry to turn his all-round output into regular goals.
Saturday’s result may be remembered for the disallowed goal and Fatawu’s red card, but for Everton the larger significance is simpler. Barry has shown he can lead the line with intensity and presence; after a disordered end to the transfer window, he must now provide the scoring consistency the squad lacks.
