Alan Smith identifies ‘obvious shortage’ in Everton squad despite Thierno Barry start

Former England striker Alan Smith stated that Everton faces an obvious attacking shortage despite Thierno Barry's strong start to the season. Barry scored the winning goal against Ipswich Town on Saturday, bringing his tally to five goals in all competitions. Everton finished the summer transfer window without signing another recognized center-forward, leaving manager David Moyes with limited options if Barry is unavailable.

Smith noted that players such as Jack Grealish and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall must contribute goals to support the offense. In contrast to attacking depth concerns, Smith praised central defenders Jarrad Branthwaite and James Tarkowski, noting that Everton has conceded just three goals and kept three clean sheets across five unbeaten Premier League matches.