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As Everton embark into the final two matches of the season, former Blues defender Michael Ball believes there is an opportunity for manager Sean Dyche to experiment with personnel and tactics. 

The Blues secured top-flight football for 2024/25 in recent weeks, and with the summer transfer window looming, Ball considers the next fortnight vital for the Club's plans for next season. 

"Everton may be safe but the final two games of this season really do matter," he wrote in his Liverpool ECHO column.

"This summer is going to be so important to the club and there is the potential for a lot of change in the dressing room. What is clear is that Everton will not have lots of money to spend and so transfers need to be judged wisely. So will the departures that the club will have control over.

"With that in mind, Sean Dyche could learn some valuable lessons against Sheffield United and Arsenal.

"Everton have played under huge pressure for so long now. Considering it took a win on the final day of last season to keep the team up, and then the struggle started from the beginning of this campaign, opportunities for Dyche to experiment have been non-existent. Now he has them. I would, therefore, like him to look at two key areas - squad players and tactics.

"With the players, this is as good a time as any to understand the characters of a squad. As a player it can be difficult to motivate yourself for end of season games with little riding on them after a hard season. But there is plenty of time to think about the beach when you are on it. Now is a time to remain professional and to show that you are not happy to just go through the motions but that you are determined and disciplined enough to maintain high standards. There are players in that squad that Dyche will still have questions over and watching how they respond to minutes on the pitch now could be useful in informing his decisions over the summer.

"While I would like to see squad players tested, I would not want young players to get a free pass. Give them opportunities, yes, but try to make sure they are working hard enough in training to deserve them. If they do, then Dyche should be willing to offer chances. Travelling with the squad on a matchday is an invaluable experience and some players react far better than they may have been expected to when they are thrown into the Premier League spotlight.

"With tactics, we have seen that Dyche has stuck with the same approach for most of the campaign. He has a small squad and has needed results, so that is understandable. But again, maybe this is a chance just to look at whether there is a Plan B available within the squad he currently has. Is there a way that 4-4-2 could work? Could Youssef Chermiti, who I think has shown some nice touches in recent matches, play off Dominic Calvert-Lewin? This is the best time to find out."