Seven goals in 17 games have marked out Villarreal’s Thierno Barry as one of the most promising young centre forwards in La Liga.
Thierno Barry signed off for LaLiga’s winter in break in style. Indeed, 22-year-old scored three times in Villarreal’s final match before Christmas – a 5-2 win over Leganés. This was Barry’s biggest haul of the season so far, but it highlighted the potential of a player who has quickly settled into his new surroundings at El Madrigal.
Signed from Basel last summer, few truly knew what to expect from Barry at Villarreal. The Frenchman had shown glimpses of his ability in Switzerland, but scored just nine goals in 35 games over the course of his one and only full season at St Jakob Park during which Basel battled relegation.
Since joining Villarreal for a reported €14m, though, Barry has taken a major step forward in his development. His seven goals in 17 games (only 12 of them starts) make him LaLiga’s top-scoring youngster alongside Jude Bellingham with the Yellow Submarine once again incubating the growth of another elite level centre forward in the making.
Alexander Sørloth led the line for Villarreal last season, scoring 26 times in all competitions. This convinced Atlético Madrid to spend €35m on the Norwegian who is now a key figure in Diego Simeone’s title-chasing team. This was the void Barry stepped into last summer and the 22-year-old is doing a good job of filling it.
In terms of his all-round game, Barry might even be an improvement on Sorloth who is a penalty box poacher. Physically, Barry is an imposing figure. Standing at 6’5”, the young Frenchman is dangerous in the air and can hold his own against even the strongest opposition defenders. He gives Villarreal a focal point to target with crosses and long passes.
Barry’s intelligent movement is another trait that makes him special. This allows him to play on the shoulder of the last defender and get in behind, taking up good goal-scoring positions inside the box. Countless LaLiga defenders have been caught out by the Villarreal striker’s shape-shifting in the final third this season. Barry’s movement is arguably his best quality.
For someone of such physical stature, Barry is remarkable comfortable on the ball. And mobile, too. He likes to drift out wide to create overloads and is handy in tight spaces. He can dribble and carry possession. These are qualities which surely have scouts from even bigger clubs keeping a close eye on the young French centre forward.
Nobody is averaging more shots per 90 minutes for Villarreal this season than Barry (3.6). It helps that he has the likes of Álex Baena and Dani Parejo to create for him, with Ayoze Pérez a useful foil and attacking partner, but Barry is undoubtedly Villarreal’s attacking focal point. Their forward line is built around him.
Critics could argue that Barry has been wasteful in front of goal at times this season. After all, he is underperforming his Expected Goals (xG) of 7.9. However, this shows that Barry’s goal-scoring form is no fluke. Top-level scouts value forwards who get into high percentage positions to find the back of the net and Barry does that consistently.
Villarreal have a strong track record of harnessing young forwards and sending them on their way to the elite level. Before Sørloth, the Yellow Submarine had Nicolas Jackson who is now leading the line for Chelsea in the Premier League. Samuel Chukwueze is another attacker – albeit a winger – who used Villarreal as a platform with the Nigerian now at AC Milan.
Under Marcelino, Villarreal have gone from fighting relegation to being in European contention. The former Athletic Club and Valencia manager is clear in his tactical ideas. He likes a compact defence that can manage a game. He favours a hard-working midfield unit that can offer plenty on both sides of the ball.
In the attack, Marcelino wants forwards who can press from the front and attack open space. Against the strongest opponents, Villarreal can play on the counter-attack. Against lower calibre teams who sit deep in a low defensive block, though, Marcelino’s approach gives his team enough control and creativity to cope.
Barry is the perfect striker for this system, although he could still afford to refine some areas of his game. His passing numbers aren’t the best. He is only in the third percentile for passes completed per 90 minutes, averaging just 7.9. This is because Villarreal funnel their attacking play into the Frenchman, but the best modern forwards can create as well.
On a fundamental level, though, Barry has a unique skill set. On his current trajectory, the French youngster is destined for the top and has even been tipped for an international call-up. Les Blues need new attackers after the international retirement of Olivier Giroud and Antoine Griezmann. Barry could fit the bill.
For the time being, Barry is spearheading a resurgent Villarreal team and developing at a rapid pace few could have envisaged when he made the move to LaLiga from Switzerland. The 22-year-old is following in the footsteps of Jackson and Sorloth in yellow. He will have more opportunities to showcase his potential when the LaLiga season resumes this weekend.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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