Everton Need To Make Changes vs Newcastle, Not Just To The XI

A lot of supporters are demanding changes at Everton, whether that be the manager, ownership, hierarchy, or players. 

A lot of that simply can't change at the moment. The manager isn't going anywhere while the ownership situation is up in the air, the hierachy is likely to remain the same, and we're outside of the transfer window.

Many simply want to see Moyes make some changes that aren't forced. Give players a run out who we should be looking to develop.

We've spoken about wanting to see Moyes take more risks, and he can start doing so against Newcastle later this week. 

Here are some changes we'd like to see him make ahead of the game against Newcastle, and not just in terms of personnel.

The defence is going to be a difficult one. We're unlikely to see Jarrad Branthwaite for this game due to concussion protocols. 

Vitalii Mykolenko might be injured, but even if he's fit enough to make the squad, it might be a good idea to rest him for this game. 

That's going to mean some real shuffling around at the back, but Mykolenko is clearly struggling fitness wise at the moment. 

I thought Merlin Rohl had a decent game at right-back against Arsenal, so I'd be happy to keep him there. James Tarkowski and Jake O'Brien, apart from at set-pieces, also defended reasonably well.

You've then got a decision to make at left-back. Personally, I'd go James Garner. He's not been at his best this season, and moving him to left-back allows Everton to make a change in midfield. That why, you're still keeping three of the back four and not making wholesale changes. 

That moves us onto the midfield. Hayden Hackney deserves a start, so bringing him in alongside Harrison Armstrong would make sense. Again, it's not making wholesale changes where the whole team is brand new, but the odd change in and around the XI. 

On the right-hand side of attack, Tyler Dibling also deserves an opportunity. Brennan Johnson has been impacting games, and Dibling deserves his chance to displace him from the side. 

Dibling is really starting to show signs that he's capable of making an impact in the Premier League, and with the player ahead of him not performing, there's no reason not to give him a run-out. 

In the number 10, Charly Alcaraz also deserves an opportunity. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall isn't producing form that makes him undroppable. What's the point in having a squad if you're not going to use it? If it's not working by half-time, make some changes and be proactive. 

On the left, Tyrique George should be starting again. Jack Grealish missed the last game through illness, and he shouldn't automatically come into the XI if he's fit, especially with a Premier League game around the corner. 

Up front, it's Thierno Barry, obviously.

Pickford; Rohl, O'Brien, Tarkowski, Garner; Hackney, Armstrong; Dibling, Alcaraz, George; Barry.

That could leave Dewsbury-Hall, Grealish, Johnson, Christian Norgaard, and others, to come off the bench to hopefully make an impact.

Everton need to show positivity in their performance and mentality. Less than a year ago, Moyes said to the media that Everton aren't on the same level as Newcastle. 

"We're not at Newcastle's level. They would have had to probably have an off night, and we'd have probably had to have a really good night to get a result."

This isn't the mentality we want. To put it into context, Everton finished on the same points as Newcastle last season. There's no way Newcastle are or were on a completely different level to Everton. What kind of message does this send to the players?

The mentality needs to be that we're at home, this is our ground, and you're not coming here to have an easy route into the next round. 

Show a positive mentality from the start, be proactive in making changes before things fall apart, and give the players a platform to make things happen in the final third.