Hes not played the #10 role for a while and i don't think it suits him anymore because hes had that raw side of his game taken away over the last season due to confidence and learning through experience and gaining maturity.
Its for that reason that i personally think as ive said for quite a while, home games should have him and barry holding allowing Barkley to play that #8 role and drift around a bit sort of in the way Besic has in recent weeks and popped up in capable positions of getting goals but obviously Barkley would pose a greater threat going forward but not as solid defensively. Sounds like we may be without Besic and McCarthy for a few games so its certainly something to look into because it can't get much worse at goodison.
This then opens up that #10 role that we desperately need to fill, Deulofeu is an animal out on the wing but when you keep looking to just go through him teams will just start to double up knowing there isn't another direct threat. As much as i dislike them look at West Ham and Payet for example, throw a Payet type player in there and like them those draws will turn in to wins and confidence will grow, 2nd Payet got injured they couldn't do anything.
Its one of the most important positions in modern football and we need a specialist in that role, Barkley is made for playing a bit deeper with license to roam as Lampard and Gerrard were in their primes.