Thierno Barry has been putting the hours in at Finch Farm as Everton’s squad rally round the £27m striker following a difficult few weeks that saw him booed by his own fans.
The French youth international was on the receiving end of some audible frustration from the home end during Everton’s win over Chelsea, a reaction to social media posts he made after the narrow defeat at Arsenal seven days earlier.
In the aftermath of that match, Barry claimed friends had to be escorted from the Everton end due to safety concerns following what police later described as an “altercation”. Both Merseyside Police and the Metropolitan Police are aware of claims it involved people who appeared to be Arsenal supporters.
Barry has since posted on Instagram to insist his friends were supporting Everton. But the damage was done. The boos were heard. And the spotlight has been firmly on the 22 year old ever since.
Six goals but a drought since January
Barry has scored six goals in his first season since arriving from Villarreal for around £27m. That is not a bad return for a young striker finding his feet in a new country.
The problem? His most recent goal came in the draw at home to Leeds United in late January. That is over two months ago.
Since then, Beto has started the last few games ahead of him. And after the Portuguese striker bagged a brace to help rout Chelsea before the international break, David Moyes is unlikely to change a winning formula.
Keane: ‘These things happen’
Michael Keane, one of the senior voices in the Everton dressing room, has thrown his support behind the young forward.
“He’s always trained well, he always trains hard and obviously the reception he got at the stadium wasn’t ideal,” Keane said.
“These things happen, but I think it’s important now for us all to stick together.
“I think he’s a great lad, he works hard, he’s scored some important goals so far and we’re going to need him for these last seven games.
“So hopefully we can all stick together and get behind him and get him back to scoring goals again.”
It is the kind of message you would expect from an experienced pro. But it also feels genuine. The dressing room knows they need everyone pulling in the same direction if they are to secure European football.
Moyes has ‘addressed’ the issue
The Everton manager made it clear before the Chelsea match that the situation had been dealt with internally.
“Addressed” was the word he used. No further details. Just that it had been handled.
Moyes is not the type to let distractions linger. And with seven games left and a European push on the line, he will want Barry focused on what happens on the pitch, not on social media.
What comes next
Barry is working hard. That much everyone at Finch Farm agrees on. Whether he gets back into the starting XI before the end of the season depends on Beto’s form and how the fixtures fall.
But with seven games to go and European football still a very real possibility, Moyes will need his full squad. That includes a £27m striker who has shown he can score important goals.
The boos were a low point. The reaction from his teammates suggests they believe he can bounce back.
Now it is down to Barry to prove them right.
