Burnley 1 Barnsley 0: Dyche frustrated with speed of VAR

Burnley boss Sean Dyche was frustrated with the speed of VAR after his side beat Barnsley 1-0 at Turf Moor in the FA Cup third round.
Barnsley goalkeeper Adam Davies (second right) cannot save the penalty taken by Burnley's Chris Wood (left).Barnsley goalkeeper Adam Davies (second right) cannot save the penalty taken by Burnley's Chris Wood (left).
Barnsley goalkeeper Adam Davies (second right) cannot save the penalty taken by Burnley's Chris Wood (left).

Substitute Chris Wood scored the winner with a stoppage-time penalty, the second time in the contest the Premier League hosts had been awarded a spot-kick by referee Simon Hooper.

The first came in the first half following a foul by Dimitri Cavare on Matej Vydra, who was then running up to take the penalty when he was stopped by Hooper, with the official signalling VAR was being used and then that the decision was being overturned for offside.

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Dyche said: “I’m a big fan of VAR, or the concept, but I did say last year I know it will take time to iron it out.

“I think it was nearly approaching a minute and a half, 80 to 90 seconds, and me and my staff looked at it and decided in four seconds that it was offside. So I think that side of it can be delivered quicker.

“And if it’s not, because we all know there are some really, really awkward ones, then I think the referee holds the ball, goes outside the box, clearly makes a statement to everyone that we know it’s not a penalty or whatever. Because at that time we don’t know that he’s actually looking at the offside until afterwards.

“But I am a big fan of it. I think they will iron out the problems and speed up the process.

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“It was actually factually right (the offside call). My frustration was more about the timings - how long it took. He is setting up to take the penalty. It brought a strangeness to the stadium and everyone was a bit confused.

“Hopefully it will speed up as they get more used to it. There’s no blame on anyone, I think it’s just a process that has to speed up.”

While Dyche stressed he agreed with the offside decision reached - saying “I presume it was for Vydra, because (Sam) Vokes is not really active enough” - he also said: “I thought their keeper (Adam Davies) handled it outside the box, so that was an interesting one.

“That can be a big moment. So if you are going to use VAR, you can change maybe some of the reasons they are going to use it, because that could be a defining moment. In theory, he could get sent off.”

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Dyche added with regard to the second penalty, awarded following a foul by Liam Lindsay on Vydra: “That can definitely be decided quicker. That was an absolute stonewaller.

“There was still a bit of a delay, everyone was waiting around a bit and he (Cooper) is still pointing to his ear as if to say ‘I need clearance.’ Clearance should be quick on that one.

“The offside, I get it because it is really tight. But I think wherever you are watching that, you just go ‘penalty’, straight away.”