Bournemouth caretaker boss Gary O’Neil blasted the “ridiculous” VAR decisions that went against his side in their 2-0 defeat at West Ham United. The Irons managed to secure all three points on Monday night thanks to a first-half header from Kurt Zouma and Said Benrahma’s penalty in second half stoppage-time. However, the newly-promoted Cherries felt hard done by after VAR calls for both goals went in the favour of their opponents, and not for the first time this season, according to O’Neil.
Gary O Neil said: “I thought there was a foul in the build-up possibly, so just before the handball. Like a cute one but we were penalised at Fulham for Jefferson Lerma fouling [Aleksandar] Mitrovic and the feedback I got for that was because Jefferson Lerma wasn’t looking at the ball. If you look at Flynn Downes in the penalty area he manages to impede Marcos Senesi without looking at the ball. He doesn’t impede him a lot but he has no intention of playing the ball and manages to shift him with his arm, which means [Senesi] can’t clear it. Then, for me, it’s a blatant handball. I think [Kehrer’s] hand moves towards the ball and changes the flight of it. So I’m very, well I’m not surprised actually, because it’s getting a little bit ridiculous. I think it’s ten VAR checks, or ten serious ones, since I’ve been in charge and we’ve had zero go our way so far.”
O’Neil’s frustrations were further fuelled by the call to award West Ham a penalty in stoppage-time. Jordan Zemura was penalised after Vladimir Coufal’s cross struck the arm of the Bournemouth full-back as he slid in to block it. The Bournemouth boss discussed the controversial decisions in the game with David Coote at full-time, but still believes the decisions were incorrect.
Gary O Neil said: “We disagree. He [Coote] says that JZ’s [Zemura] arm was in an unnatural position, which I disagree with. You slide for a ball your arm is going to propel. His arm was on the way back down. JZ [Zemura] isn’t trying to gain an advantage. I understand it. It’s very unlucky to be honest. It’s a nothing situation, they [West Ham] are crossing the ball to nobody and it’s one of those things that seems to be going against us. He said on the goal that [Kehrer’s] hand was in a natural position, which I again disagree with. His hands are in by his stomach and they move towards the ball. We disagreed on them. Then there was one that I have not seen so well that Ben Johnson handles when JZ [Zemura] tries to go past him that we didn’t get as well.”
