‘No evidence’ - Ex-ref delivers strong verdict on Bournemouth v Newcastle United VAR decisions
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The Cherries thought they had won all three points when Dango Ouatarra headed home from a corner in added time. However, VAR overturned the goal deeming that the ball had struck the Bournemouth man on the arm, rather than his shoulder or head, before dropping past Nick Pope in the Magpies goal.
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Hide AdThe technology checked the goal for a long time before instructing David Coote to overturn his initial decision without consulting a pitchside monitor. The current rules dictate that the referee didn’t have to check a monitor for factual handball decisions.
Andoni Iraola was booked following his reaction to the disallowed goal, whilst one of his coaching staff was sent off minutes later after Joelinton pulled down Neto to prevent Bournemouth counter-attacking. Both moments were highly controversial and Gallagher has given his verdict on both the disallowed goal and potential red card for the Brazilian. Speaking on Ref Watch, this is what he said:
Dermot Gallagher on Bournemouth disallowed goal
“If you look, everyone seems happy with the goal, everyone expects a goal. When I saw it go to VAR and they said they were checking for handball, for me I never thought it would ever be overturned, I didn’t.
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Hide Ad“The feedback from VAR was that it was a factual decision, I actually think it’s contradictory that it is a factual decision that has become subjective in so much that the VAR felt it was low enough [on the arm] to give handball. I was a referee and I think it was high enough not to give handball. I think there’s a lot of people going to be in my camp than VAR’s.
“It’s one of them decisions where he [the VAR] has made a judgement that it’s too low on the sleeve. I think many will disagree.”
Asked if the referee should have been sent to the monitor to check the decision, Gallagher responded: “It is a factual decision because the VAR has decided that it has hit the part of the arm so in his [the VAR’s] eyes that’s a factual decision.
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Hide Ad“We’d never know what, if he had been sent to the screen, what David Coote would have done, only he will know that. But, from my point of view, if I’m the referee and I’m sent to the screen I would give a goal and that just shows the dilemma in that it was a factual decision that has now become subjective, I see no evidence that it is handball.”
Dermot Gallagher on Joelinton
“I think in no way, shape or form is this a red card. If you look at it, his priority, in his opinion, is to delay the goalkeeper getting rid of that ball for a counter. If you watch, it looks worse because the goalkeeper is moving, but he grabs him around the chest, he does not grab him by the throat and he does not grab him in the face.”
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