Connect with us

AFC Bournemouth

Bournemouth’s Gary O’Neil confronts officials and VAR decisions in defeat at West Ham

Bournemouth’s Gary O’Neil confronts officials and wasn’t happy with VAR decisions in his side’s 2-0 defeat at West Ham on Monday night.

The Cherries manager had been left seething after VAR’s involvement in both of the hosts’ goals, and was also shown a yellow card for his protests after Hammers defender Kurt Zouma found the net just before half time.

The ball struck the hand of defender Thilo Kehrer as Jarrod Bowen’s corner was sent into the Cherries box but VAR allowed the goal to stand as the incident didn’t directly lead to it.

Sky Sports, reporting a statement from video assistant referee hub at Stockley Park, said: “If that handball, and it clearly hit the hand of Kehrer, if that had immediately lead to the goal then it would have been disallowed.

“But, the question is, because it didn’t then: was it deliberate? If they decided it was a deliberate action, then it would not have been a goal.”

The BBC added, upon guidance from Stockley Park, that “because his arm was deemed to be in a natural position and there were a few more touches before the goal, then it was fine.”

There was more handball controversy in stoppage time when West Ham was awarded a penalty as substitute Jordan Zemura was deemed to have deliberately used his hand to block Vladimír Coufal’s cross.

Said Benrahma scored the resulting spot kick to secure a Hammers win which sees them move up to 10th in the Premier League table. Bournemouth drop to 14th.

Bournemouth boss Gary O’Neil to Sky Sports: “I thought we did OK. We weren’t enough with the ball in the first half. We turned it over in areas we shouldn’t. The second half we had West Ham camped in. They had a breakaway and got a penalty from a nothing situation.”

On West Ham’s opener: “I thought a foul in the build-up was possible just before the handball. A cute one but we were penalised at Fulham for Jefferson Lerma fouling Mitrovic. The feedback was because Lerma wasn’t looking at the ball. Flynn Downes impedes Senesi without looking at the ball. He has no intention of playing the ball. It’s a blatant handball. His hand moves towards the ball. I’m not surprised because it’s getting ridiculous. Since I’ve been here there’s been 10 serious VAR checks and none have gone our way.”

On what he spoke to the referee about at full-time: “We disagree [on the penalty]. He says Zemura’s arm was in an unnatural position. I disagree with that. His arms are propelling when he’s sliding in. They were on the way back down. He’s not trying to gain an advantage. These things going against us. On the goal he said his arm was in a natural position. I disagree. They’re in both at his stomach and move to the ball. There was one I haven’t seen with Ben Johnson handling, we didn’t get as well.”

On injuries: “It makes it more difficult of course. We came here without Lloyd Kelly. Our keeper is injured. Solanke is a huge player for us and we have to go without him. The boys can be proud of the second half performance.”

On struggles in the final third: “It’s going to be tough for a newly promoted team in the Premier League against good opposition. We were missing players. We’re still trying to fight and pick up results. The final third for us will be tricky.”

West Ham manager David Moyes speaking to BBC: “I thought we were good for periods, I didn’t think we were as good in the final third. We had good, long periods of controlling the game but couldn’t hit the target when we needed to. The performances are getting better but are still not taking enough chances.

“We looked like we were hanging on and that’s probably where Bournemouth came into the game. Kieffer Moore came on and changed the game for them and won a few free-kicks.

“I’ve not seen the first goal yet or the penalty kick. I think our performances deserved more than a scruffy set-piece goal and a penalty.

“Said Benrahma is a huge performance player and we’ve been on at him about his goals and crosses. He’s had a slow start and we hope he is going to get even better now.

“Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek have had slows starts as well and are starting to find their feet and we are trying to bring in new players. We started the season really well last season and were in the Champions League places and were doing well in Europe. This year we have started well in Europe and have been slower in the league.

“Being manager is such fine margins, I could have been stood here saying that we didn’t get the result we wanted because we didn’t take our chances. Now our league performances have started to improve and we are chasing down the teams above us in the league now.”

Bournemouth boss Gary O’Neil speaking to BBC: “We produced a really good second-half performance. It is so hard to find the positives now with all the emotions of the game but we did well. Hard to be be without our captain Lloyd Kelly and to then lose Dominic Solanke as well was disappointing.

“We responded well in the second half. There were bits to be proud of but of course we are in the results business and we don’t want to come away to West Ham and lose.

On his discussion with the referee at full-time about West Ham’s first goal: “We disagree. It’s impossible for the goal to stand. Having your hands in front of your stomach, it pushes the ball into a different position. No different to JZ’s [Jordan Zemura]. We seem to be getting the decisions go against us. 10 massive decisions have gone against us since we have been here.

“Jordan [Zemura] for the penalty, anyone who slides at that pace knows his hand will come up. I understand the penalty decision but it’s hard for him to do anything else. It hits him on the hand and you think this is obviously going to be given.

“The first half was not good enough but the second half was better. To go six unbeaten with a newly promoted team is incredible. Still, credit to the boys for the start that we have made and that the results that are going against us have been unlucky decisions.”

On Solanke and Neto’s injuries: “No idea how they are doing but hopefully nothing too serious and they are ok.”

West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen speaking to Sky Sports: “Massively important three points for us. The way we found ourselves in the last few games hasn’t been great, especially waiting until Monday to play and seeing everyone else’s results. It looks a lot better now than it did before we played. The main thing is momentum and to win the game.

“We were probably our own worst enemy, not retaining the ball. The last 10 minutes we had to suffer and it was a great penalty from Said.

On whether he could have taken the penalty: “No chance of me taking the penalty, I’m off them after my miss last week! But it was a great pen from Said and he has that quality. I see it in training every day. He was great tonight.

“We dug deep as a group and sometimes the togetehrness and spirit as a team gets us through. We have plenty of matches before the world Cup so we know we can improve.

“Losing games at the start of the season knocks confidence so getting results helps. We’re getting there now with the performances and getting good results so we just have to keep going.”

Bournemouth defender Chris Mepham speaking to Sky Sports: “In the second half if one team were going to get a goal, it felt like it would be us. We were knocking at the ball but we didn’t create anything. We weren’t good in the first half which was frustrating.”

On West Ham’s first goal: “Obviously it’s frustrating, it’s not the first time and it feels like these decisions are going against us. It did hit his hand so it is frustrating. You could argue [Jordan] Zemura in the second half didn’t go to deliberately handball it but that’s the problem.

“[Kieffer] Moore was good in the second half. We played long balls and he gave us something to hit which was much better.”

This is what social media users said as Bournemouth’s Gary O’Neil confronts officials and VAR decisions in defeat at West Ham…

@afr3shst4rt1: Fuck VAR

@olliejamespaddy: What’s the point of var

@jtoatoctok: Games gone. VAR has absolutely sucked the life out of it

@goatedlerma: Burnley away 2020 vibes

@WillBailham: Madness that the goal stood

@afcbbeachboy: I genuinely believe the people who take up refereeing are people who weren’t capable of playing the game . If they believe that players hands were a natural position for a footballer that explains why they could never play the game in the first place . #afcb

@chickencricket: Can we just start walking off and refusing to play when VAR does it’s #afcb thing. If they are that determined to relegate us let’s blow the whole issue up so big they can’t pretend it’s not happening.

@1afcb1: At this moment in time, I’m really not feeling Saturday. Just can’t be arsed to be screwed by the referees again, it’s not what football should be about and it’s sucking the enjoyment out of it for me. The @FA_PGMOL are a shambles. #afcb

@afcbbeachboy: There was a time when it was about football not the the bloke in the middle of the park in black or the retired useless plank in the VAR studio . <<<< 30 yrs to when the ref only got mentioned when we sang about who is father was . #afcb

@Cherry_Aid: It’s happening and I knew it would. VAR was NOT the reason we chose to play a defensive formation that invited the home team to attack, or the reason we could not string a pass together, or the reason we could not get Solanke beyond the half way line #afcb

@TomJordan21: Might watch some porn when I get back and see if I can find someone getting fucked as hard as #afcb do in the Premier League.

@Hoof_It_Out: Tbh, this is getting stupid for #afcb. Exactly the reason why many fans didn’t want promotion. 10 VAR checks in 5 weeks all against them.

@AFCBtacticos: Want to reflect and analyse, but I just cannot calm down from how bad VAR and the Referees have been against #AFCB this season. Even neutrals are baffled, it’s pathetic.

@chrisrumbelow1: @FA_PGMOL @FA @premierleague if you demand respect then how do you continuously make horrendous errors and get away with it. You are ruining the game, taking away the enjoyment. We may be tinpot Bournemouth but we just want an even field. No other word than cheated

@stevecherries: Generally keep quiet about VAR, evens itself out, etc, etc, but it does appear that 50/50s are going 100% against us. This defies the basic rule of maths. That first decision tonight was utterly disgraceful. How is that not handball?? 🍒 #afcb

Related Topics
Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

More in AFC Bournemouth