THIERNO BARRY is the Premier League’s most wasteful striker.
That’s according to stats compiled by boffins and brainiacs at Opta.
Their data gurus define a “big chance” as a “situation where a player should reasonably be expected to score, usually in a one on one scenario or from very close range when the ball has a clear path to goal and there is low to moderate pressure on the shooter”.
Everton star Barry, 23, has missed TEN big chances in just six appearances so far this season – double anyone else in the Premier League.
The Toffees’ only recognised centre forward has managed to plunder three goals, including a well taken effort at Hull on Sunday.
But he has also been guilty of some huge misses, none more so than when he hopelessly scuffed an effort despite having an open goal at his mercy against the Tigers.
With David Moyes‘ men having drawn four of their six matches thus far, a more clinical frontman may have converted some of those stalemates into wins.
And after the 2-2 draw at Hull, Moyes gave an honest assessment of his frontman’s contributions.
The Scot, 63, said: “I don’t think in the Premier League you get allowed to get eight, 10, 12 great chances. And when you do then I think you need to be more clinical. At the moment we’ve not been.
“But that’s not a full-on criticism of Thierno Barry, because he gets his goal. He’s keeping his ticker moving, keeping moving and getting his goal. So I’m pleased about that.
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“But we’re going to have to do better to score the goals. I thought we could have crossed the ball more often, quicker, faster, and we didn’t do so in the first-half.
“One goes through his legs and you’re saying ‘Come on, it can’t happen’.
“I think it’s frustration from the manager. He’s frustrated with himself, you can tell from his body language.
“He’s so disappointed with himself that he’s not doing as well. But look, as I said, he’s still getting those goals, he’s just ticking it over.
“But he missed one or two in the first-half as well which could have helped us greatly.”
Everton left themselves short up top by selling Beto on deadline day without securing a replacement.
Late moves for Richarlison and Folarin Balogun failed, with Barry now carrying a heavy workload.
Barry is actually not among bad company at the top of the “big chances missed” table.
Erling Haaland is joint-second with five – alongside Gonzalo Garcia, Igor Thiago and Dan Ndoye.
Despite his misses, Haaland is once again top of the Prem goal charts with six, including one in Manchester City’s 3-0 win at Liverpool on Sunday.
Garcia, Thiago and Ndoye have actually bagged fewer than Barry, the latter having scored two and the others only one apiece.
Several big names have missed four big chances; Bryan Mbeumo, Bukayo Saka, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Evanilson, Rayan and Charalampos Kostoulas.
Joao Pedro, the league’s second top scorer with five, has only missed one big chance so far this term – against Brighton prior to the international break.
And Rayan Cherki has scored four without missing a single big chance, with Morgan Rogers and Alexander Isak having netted the same number with one and three big chances missed respectively.
