CP 0 - 1 ARS: Official Takes Center Stage

 There was a lot of excellent football on display today at Selhurst Park, but the officiating was dreadful.  Granted, it wasn't an easy game for David Coote (I don't remember that name), but I thought he got a lot wrong.  As with other games this young season, VAR was not much help.  The penalty awarded as the Palace keeper came out and tripped Nketieh was harsh, in my view.  Thomas Partey made Nketiah's run off a free kick an uncontested one by blocking a Palace defender, which would have been fine had he not used his arm to hold him back.  And the foul was one I always hate:  the attacker touches the ball, and in this case it would have gone straight out, knowing that the keeper has committed himself and he need do nothing more than fall down as his feet are taken out from under him.  Then there were the two yellow cards to Tomiyasu, neither of which was warranted.  That transferred the momentum to Palace, and they put the Gunners under immense pressure.  Eze went down after Partey made contact with his calf, and while I thought it would have been harsh to award a penalty for that, it was more of a penalty (IMO) than the one on Nketieh.  All in all, the referee influenced this game as much as the teams did.  But who am I to argue with the officials?  It's a valuable three points from a really tough game.  

Arteta has Partey play "right back" again, with similar results to the Forest game.  I didn't think Partey really added much to the attack but his abandonment of his defensive position gave Palace too much room to work with on counters.  Havertz was not doing the business out there, although he was working hard.  Rice was superb throughout.  CP's Mitchell did a great job keeping Saka quiet.  Nketieh was very good, I thought, and Martinelli dangerous.  It was good to see Zinchenko come in and play well near the end.  Apparently Arteta has found his penalty taker in Odegaard.  That was a fine PK.

I have to say that Palace looked very good.  they played the game they wanted to play and had the officiating been better I don't know what would have happened.  The squad is young, athletic, and talented.  When Olise is fit they'll be even better.