David Moyes Explains Decision to Start Beto Over Thierno Barry
Everton’s Premier League clash with Aston Villa ended in a frustrating 0-0 draw, despite the Toffees enjoying long spells of dominance at Hill Dickinson Stadium. The Merseyside club created several chances throughout the match but ultimately failed to convert any, with forward Beto missing multiple opportunities to break the deadlock.
One of the most notable talking points from the match was manager David Moyes’ decision to start Beto over summer signing Thierno Barry, who arrived from Villarreal in a deal worth up to £27 million. Since joining the club, Barry has started just one of Everton’s first four Premier League fixtures, with Moyes opting to ease the young striker into the English top flight.
Speaking in his post-match press conference, Moyes shed light on his reasoning for benching Barry in favour of Beto, who featured from the start once again. “It’s mainly about goals,” Moyes said. “I might rotate the players for no specific reason at times, but in this case, Beto has been the more experienced option. Thierno is still adapting, and I want to be careful with how quickly we expect too much from him.”
Moyes emphasized that Barry’s lack of Premier League experience played a significant role in the decision. “We’re introducing a young player who’s never played in this league before — and we’re asking him to perform in one of the most demanding roles on the pitch. I want to give him time to adapt and settle, to show what he’s capable of without placing an enormous burden on his shoulders from the very start.”
Although Beto led the line for most of the game, he struggled to find the finishing touch. His most glaring miss came just three minutes into the match when Iliman Ndiaye set him up in a prime position, but the striker failed to connect cleanly with the ball, squandering a golden opportunity to take the lead.
Barry was introduced in the 75th minute in place of Beto and brought some fresh energy to Everton’s attack. He managed to carve out a chance of his own but was forced wide and saw his shot blocked by the Villa defence.
Rohl Makes Everton Debut
Another notable moment from the match was the debut of midfielder Merling Rohl. The German youngster joined Everton on deadline day from SC Freiburg, arriving on a season-long loan with an obligation to buy for £17 million. Rohl came off the bench with just over 25 minutes to play, replacing Tim Iroegbunam.
While it was a short cameo, Moyes expressed satisfaction with Rohl’s first appearance in an Everton shirt. “It’s hard to properly judge a player after only 20 minutes on the pitch, especially in a tight, competitive match,” Moyes noted. “But based on what we’ve seen in training and in today’s brief appearance, there’s definitely something there we like. Coming on against a team like Aston Villa, who’ve been one of the top sides in the Premier League over the last couple of seasons, isn’t easy. I thought he handled it well.”
A Missed Opportunity
Despite creating more chances and showing improved cohesion, Everton once again failed to find the back of the net, a problem that has plagued them in recent seasons. Moyes will likely continue to assess his attacking options as the season progresses, balancing the need for immediate results with the long-term development of promising talents like Barry and Rohl.
As Everton look ahead to their next fixture, fans will be eager to see whether Barry begins to earn more starting opportunities — or if Moyes continues to rely on the more experienced Beto as his first-choice striker.