With half-time approaching and Everton a goal down at the Emirates at the weekend, Ben White’s weak header presented Thierno Barry with a chance to level the score. A deft flick was thwarted by David Raya, and while by no means a straightforward opportunity, it was nonetheless another chance squandered.
For Evertonians, it was a familiar feeling. Barry has now missed 12 ‘big chances’ in the Premier League this season, five more than the next-highest player, Bournemouth winger Rayan. There have been improvements in his game, with six goals in nine appearances, but the Frenchman’s flaws remain frustrating.
The 24-year-old has not been helped by the shambolic end to the summer transfer window, with Beto’s sale sanctioned without a replacement secured. Folarin Balogun’s U-turn on a move could yet prove a sliding doors moment in Everton’s season.
Everton need another striker, that much is clear. But with uncertainty surrounding the club’s ownership, is there much confidence that the issue will be addressed in January? And even if it is, can this recruitment team be trusted to find the right solution?
Everton’s recent history of signing centre-forwards does not make for good reading.
A problem position since Romelu Lukaku’s departure in 2017, the club have signed 11 centre-forwards in that time. Of them, only Richarlison can be deemed a success. The others have collectively managed 44 goals in 333 Premier League appearances, despite investment exceeding £140m.
Talent identification has clearly been a problem, but Everton are not alone in struggling to find a reliable goalscorer. The mythical 20-goal-a-season striker is an increasingly difficult profile to recruit, particularly for clubs outside the Premier League’s elite.
Since the turn of the century, there have been only 18 instances of a forward scoring 20 or more Premier League goals in a season for a club outside the ‘Big Six’. Of those, only three players have managed it more than once: Alan Shearer in 2001/02 and 2003/04, Jamie Vardy in 2015/16, 2017/18 and 2019/20, and Alexander Isak in 2023/24 and 2024/25.
Everton have had just one player reach that mark in a Premier League season, Lukaku scoring 25 times in 2016/17. The Belgian became the first Everton player to score 20 league goals in a campaign since Gary Lineker. In the Premier League era, the Toffees have had a player reach 15 goals just six times in 34 seasons, with two of those coming in a 42-game campaign.
Goals have long been a problem at Everton, and there is no easy fix. Spending heavily on another centre-forward is no guarantee of success, as the club’s own recruitment record demonstrates. Yet that does not mean the search should be abandoned.
There are reasons to believe Barry can improve. According to expected goals figures, only Erling Haaland has had better-quality chances this season. The opportunities are there, even if the finishing has not always followed. A more clinical striker might have converted more of them, but finding that player is the difficult part.
Everton must decide whether to persevere with Barry, bring in competition or look for a more reliable alternative. Ideally, they would have the resources to strengthen without having to choose between those options. The reality is that January recruitment comes with financial constraints, limited availability and the risk of repeating past mistakes.
Everton need another striker, but finding one who can genuinely transform the team’s fortunes is easier said than done. Barry’s missed chances have highlighted the problem, and competition for his place is needed. But Everton also have to find goals elsewhere. The side cannot keep relying on their centre-forward to make the difference, particularly when finding one who can consistently deliver is proving so difficult.
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