7 Things Everton Learned from the Game Against Newcastle

What a game!

Everton and Newcastle played out an entertaining 2-2 draw at Goodison Park on Monday night in a match full of talking points.

The home side dominated the first half but Newcastle came out much better in the second and managed to claw their way back into the game, twice coming from behind.

The Blues peppered the Newcastle goal throughout the game and had three goals waived away, though only one of the disallowed goals was warranted.

With both sides looking toward Europe as the season wears on, the disallowed goals could prove crucial as Everton will certainly view this game as two points lost rather than one gained.

Goal-Line Technology Is Needed

The age-old debate reared its ugly head again as Everton had a goal disallowed that, upon replay, clearly crossed the line.

Victor Anichebe's header struck the bar and came down over the line, but the goal was not given.

When will the powers that be learn that it is time to start some form of development around goal-line technology?

The extra official has not worked and is not utilized in the Premier League.

Surely, with the advanced technology available in even the most mundane facets of life, something can be down about a ball crossing a line?

Add in that Everton midfielder Marouane Fellaini also had a dubious offside goal disallowed, and the outcome of the game was massively changed by officiating.

Tim Howard's Performance

Tim Howard had an interesting game against Newcastle.

On Demba Ba's first goal, it looked as though the American international slipped, allowing the Senegalese striker to score.

Ba's second was a tough one to lay blame on as Howard made himself as big as possible with a leap in front of the Newcastle man. Still, the ball trickled through Howard's gaping legs as Everton defender Sylvain Distin should have done more with his goal-line clearance.

Of the five goals Everton have conceded this year, Howard could and should have done better on four of them.

With ex-Celtic shot-stopper Artur Boruc reportedly close to signing for Everton, should Howard be watching his back?

It is premature to think Howard should be dropped but if his performances do not improve to his own high standards, Evertonians everywhere will begin to question Howard's importance to the team.

The Power of the Left Side

The first goal of the game between Everton and Newcastle highlighted the beauty of the Everton left side as Leighton Baines and Steven Pienaar linked up on a fabulous finish by the England international.

Later in the half, Baines was called into action again as he cleared off the line from a great Newcastle chance squandered by Vurnon Anita.

Baines' goal was a fantastic team goal, with 17 passes before the left-back blasted the ball past Newcastle goalkeeper Steve Harper.

The left side of Everton has long been vaunted around Goodison Park and with South African Pienaar back for the long term, the success should continue.

Darron Gibson Will Be Missed...

When Darron Gibson signed from Manchester United last season, many wondered if the young Irishman could cut it for the Toffees.

A season later, Evertonians understand the importance of Gibson to the Everton midfield and with his monthlong lay off due to a thigh injury just beginning, the shape of the Blues side is rather different.

Gibson's best attribute is the freedom he allows the players around him, particularly Marouane Fellaini.

With Gibson out and Phil Neville starting in his place, Fellaini was absent for much of the first half.

In the second, Fellaini became more involved in Everton's attack as he scored one disallowed goal and had a hand in the other.

Fellaini will become much more hit or miss for Everton as he doesn't have the solid presence of Gibson to hold together the midfield.

Whether Moyes sticks with Neville as the anchor of the midfield is another debate, but the loss of Gibson will hurt Everton.

...And so Will Nikica Jelavic

Everton striker Nikica Jelavic was in the wars from the first minutes of the game against Newcastle.

The Croatian international collided with the post when scoring a disallowed goal, and the injury woes did not stop there.

Jelavic limped off just before halftime and, at the time of writing, the full extent of the striker's knee injury is as yet unknown.

Hopefully, Jelavic's substitution was more precautionary than anything else but if the striker has to miss an extended period of time, Everton could be in trouble.

Everton's goal machine since signing from Rangers last season will be missed by the Toffees, who have the squad depth of a paddling pool. But as the next slide shows, there could be a silver lining.

The Emergence of Kevin Mirallas

Belgian international Kevin Mirallas had a solid game for Everton before being removed for Steven Naismith in the 80th minute.

Mirallas showed his compusure, movement and skill on the ball throughout the game but still lacked that goal-scoring touch.

The striker was very lively for the first hour but seemed to tail off as the game wore on.

With an injury to fellow striker Nikica Jelavic, Everton could be relying on Mirallas for the next few weeks and the Belgian looks up to the task thus far.

There Is No Place Like Merseyside

In what has been its biggest week since April 1989, Everton Football Club showed that even on Merseyside some things are bigger than football.

The truth was finally revealed concerning the horrific mismanagement that led to the death of 96 Liverpool fans and subsequent cover-up that have haunted the city of Liverpool for 23 years.

Everton manager David Moyes, in his programme notes, made mention of Merseyside united as Red and Blue have stood together in the wake of the Hillsborough disaster.

Despite Bill Shankley's old adage that football is much more important than life and death, this week in the history of my home city proved otherwise.

The tribute of the Goodison faithful was fitting and echoed the Liverpool reaction to the tragic killing of young Rhys Jones five years ago.

Now that the truth has been revealed, justice must follow.