Everton: It's Time To Start Taking Some Risks

David Moyes has always been a safety-first manager. That's a statement that won't be argued by many. 

The Everton boss is someone who would prefer to set up a game not to lose, rather than going all out for a victory. That can be beneficial to Everton, picking up some impressive results against strong sides at times.

Taking the handbrake off is something many Evertonians have been wanting to see over the last year. Give youngsters a go, have some freedom in attack, play exciting football.

We're not seeing a lot of that, and the results aren't coming either to justify the safeness. 

It's time for Moyes to start taking some risks.

If the goal is to get European football, then think again. We've seen what happens to this squad after a few injuries. That's going to be a regular occurrence throughout the season due to the small squad, and we simply don't have the depth to go all out for Europe. 

The summer transfer window has let us down this campaign, and that's something we just have to accept.

If we lower the expectations a little bit and use this as a season to develop youngsters and take some risks, maybe Everton will benefit more long term? Maybe Tyler Dibling, Hayden Hackney, and Tyrique George will be ready for a European run next season if they are actually given regular chances?

There's little reason not to give Dibling more opportunities now. Brennan Johnson simply doesn't offer enough going forward or defensively as a starter to justify his selection. 

Dibling might be inconsistent at his age, but is there a world where he actually offers less than Johnson? Or is the more likely scenario that playing regularly will see his confidence build and him become a better player?

Dibling's ceiling is a lot higher than Johnson's, so why not try to explore how close we can get him to that ceiling? Why not try to develop a £40m asset?

By the way, giving Dibling chances doesn't mean bringing him on when Everton are away at the Premier League champions, Arsenal, for 18 minutes, before not seeing him again for weeks. 

That takes Dibling's total of Premier League minutes up to 46 this season. If Everton were flying in attack, it would be more understandable, but we're struggling to create and have little ideas in the final third.

This is another frustrating one. The bedding in process for players under Moyes can be geniunely ridiculous. But it's strange, because someone like Johnson needs little to no time, despite showing less on the pitch then all of the other new additions?

Hackney was given a chance to impress against Arsenal, at 2-0 down with the game dead and buried. He failed to get on the pitch against Chelsea, and was given just 12 minutes against Hull the week before. 

Against Ipswich, Hackney was given just one minute, and he's not started a game since the opening day of the season. 

What Hackney offers is something Everton don't have, as we've already covered in another article. What he doesn't offer is defensive solidity, and he can vacate the midfield area, but that's happening with all our midfielders of late. 

Change it up, go three in midfield, allow Hackney and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to play deeper together alongside a six. 

A lot of our midfield issues come down to coaching, too. 

It's a small squad, but you can't complain about that if you're not willing to use some of the assets on the bench. These aren't youth academy players looking to make it in the game. They are young, established professionals who are chomping at the bit to make an impression. 

The likes of Hackney, Dibling, and even George must be so demoralised that when they produce a decent performance, they'll still find themselves on the bench. 

Just look at Hackney's impact against Manchester United, only to find himself on the bench the next week. Dibling's impact in the Carabao Cup, only to find himself barely given minutes. Dibling then made an impact off the bench, but the next game getting nothing again. 

It must be tough for Dibling to watch Johnson struggle to produce and then only be given a chance usually when the game is already done.

It must be frustrating for Hackney seeing our midfield get ran all over the pitch regularly, and then only be brought on when we're 2-0 down. 

It's time to take the handbrake off, stop giving certain players free passes to perform poorly and continue playing. Give some of these talented youngsters the platform to succeed.

If Everton were playing well, you could look at Hackney and Dibling and go, 'sorry lads, you'll just have to wait'.

Everton are not playing well, and haven't all season, in reality. 

The job of the manager is to develop players and get results. At the moment, he needs to do more in both areas. 

Harrison Armstrong doesn't need to start every single week if it means blocking Hackney's development. Hackney coming into the side doesn't mean Armstrong's pathway would be blocked. Use the squad, rotate, give youngsters a chance.