​Everton v Newcastle Programme Carabao Cup October 2026Watching this Newcastle United team has so far raised more questions than answers.Many more.I am not writing off any of the newcomers, whether that is Matthias Jaissle or any of the signings.History tells us that snap judgements are often proved wrong with the benefit of time, so personally I will give all of them a proper chance to show what they can, or can’t, do.To be honest, I admit I hadn’t previously heard of Matthias Jaissle or any of the eight players that ended up coming in this summer, with the exception of Nico Gonzalez. Even then I confess that the sum total of my knowledge was that he is a midfielder and wasn’t a regular first choice Manchester City player. I couldn’t have described what his strengths and weaknesses were but of course once it became clear we were going to sign him, I then became a Nico Gonzalez expert like the rest of you, as we searched for info and footage of him online.On the other hand, when it comes to the players in this Newcastle United team who hadn’t just arrived this summer, I/we know them well. Their strengths, their weaknesses…This was the Newcastle United team on Thursday night at the Hill Dickinson Stadium…Hornicek, Dedic, Schar, Burn, Hall, Gonzalez, Willock, Ramsey, Barnes, Murphy, OsulaBack in say February, if you had asked me to name the Newcastle United team I hoped would be first choice in the 2026-27 season I would have been proved wrong on ten counts. The honourable exception is of course the brilliant Lewis Hall.The 2026-27 Newcastle United team I would have had in mind back in February…Trafford, Livramento, Thiaw, new left-side centre-back, Hall, Bruno, Tonali, new midfielder, Gordon, Elanga, new strikerNeedless to say, the eight months that have followed February 2026 haven’t turned out as I expected, as I hoped. The same for pretty much all of you I imagine.Many factors have contributed to the changes that have happened at St James’ Park, including what the Newcastle United team is now, compared to what I’d expected, hoped for.The severe pressures brought about by the UEFA SCR situation, on top of all the existing disadvantages the likes of Newcastle United and Aston Villa have when it comes to the ability to pay the wages and transfer fees, compared to the financially dominant six. You have then had a change internally at NUFC whereby the Sporting Director leads on who is signed and sold, Eddie Howe deciding to leave and a new face to the Premier League arriving, then so many ins and outs in the transfer window, plus so many injuries and players struggling to get back to full match fitness.This Newcastle United team we now have. It is what it is.Everton and Newcastle United players shaking hands on the pitch ahead of kickoff in the Carabao CupPhoto by Matt Busby Said via The MagGoing through that Newcastle United team that faced Everton…Lukas HornicekWe were always going to be getting a new first choice keeper and