Manager Alan Pardew was reasonably pleased with how Palace created opportunities and enacted the game plan in last night’s match at Goodison Park against Everton.
He wasn’t so reasonably pleased when it came to a couple of refereeing decisions on the day – especially the late penalty shout on Jordan Mutch (outside of the box really though), and even the Gareth Barry shirt pull in the first period.
Barry himself admitted after the game they get given!
Speaking to the media in his post game press interviews, Sky Sports have Pardew quoted as saying.
‘I thought it was a fair result because we showed all the qualities that we have as a team. We have got discipline, we are dogged and have quality on the break when we are an away side. Tonight we have played a team in top form and we still almost won. But for a couple of refereeing decisions that, in my view, they have got wrong, we could have won it.’
Beginning with the shirt pull, he went on to say.
‘I think it was obvious from where I was standing that his shirt was being pulled but the referee and linesman didn’t see it, which I’m surprised at. The second one was 12 yards from the linesman and I don’t think he plays the ball at all and if he can’t see that, then there is a problem. But they are swings and roundabout decisions; we accept they don’t always go our way because that is part and parcel of the game. It was one of those nights and, in the context of what happened tonight, a draw was a fair result, no doubt about that. But sometimes you can win when you perhaps don’t deserve to, and that could have happened had those decisions gone our way.’
With Everton dominating and having possession largely and a number of chances themselves, Pardew went on to talk about the goal we conceded but again he was pleased with our threat on the night as with a touch more quality in the final ball at points we’d have at least tested their keeper on more occasions than we did.
‘The goal, we perhaps could have done better with, but there were tired legs – they had worked us hard and they had a couple that hit the bar and an unbelievable save from our goalie. Roberto Martinez, I think, will be pleased with his team and I am certainly pleased with my team. It was one of those nights. We go sixth, that was the prize for us, and a home game, so that’s what we have won, and we deserved it. But this team has produced an honest display which they always do; I never question their commitment. Just little bits of our quality tonight could have been better but, overall, a cracking game, a bit open last 20 minutes but I’m sure you enjoyed that.’
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