Bournemouth Squeaks Past Burnley 2-1: Vincent Kompany Compares VAR to a Roll of the Dice in a Casino

Vincent Kompany, Burnley’s head coach, likens the nail-biting suspense of waiting for Video Assistant Referees (VAR) to make pivotal rulings to “the thrill of a casino gamble.”

In a heart-stopping showdown on Saturday that saw Bournemouth edge past Burnley 2-1, Jay Rodriguez’s late-match goal was first disallowed for offside by referee Samuel Barrott. However, the VAR panel took over five minutes to corroborate the on-field decision.

Screens displaying the VAR process revealed officials adjusting lines of various hues and revisiting the goal from multiple camera angles before ultimately landing on a decision.

“It’s akin to being in a casino, placing all your bets on red or black,” Kompany shared with BBC’s Match of the Day.

“I watched as they switched camera perspectives, and adjusted colored lines. Occasionally, the line would go green, signaling an onside position, while at other times it would turn red for offside.

“I can absolutely forgive a human error from the officials on the field; what concerns me is the drawn-out and unpredictable VAR procedure,” he added.

Image one – Rodriguez initially deemed onside
During the meticulous VAR inspection, officials weren’t satisfied with their initial green lines and chose to re-evaluate the play from another camera angle.

Image two – Subsequent angle confirms Rodriguez offside
Ultimately, an alternative camera perspective showed that Rodriguez was indeed offside, validating the original call after much back-and-forth.

BBC Match of the Day analyst Ian Wright weighed in, stating, “The fans have called it—this is just embarrassing. They have established procedures. They should know better than to take five-and-a-half minutes to draw a line!”

Recently, VAR has found itself in the hot seat again, thanks to the debate surrounding Luis Diaz’s nixed goal in a Liverpool vs. Tottenham match.

Howard Webb, the referees’ supervisor, stated that measures are being put in place to sidestep any future controversies stemming from VAR communication errors.

Kompany also expressed frustration over an overlooked handball inside the Bournemouth penalty area, which he believes both on-field referees and VAR failed to catch.

According to Kompany, Bournemouth defender Chris Mepham used his hand to obstruct Sander Berge from connecting with Charlie Taylor’s in-swinging cross. However, play resumed without VAR intervention.

“It’s glaringly a handball. And yet, we’ve been through seven minutes of VAR just to figure out if Rodriguez is offside by a hair’s width,” said the visibly irritated former Manchester City player.

“I’ve brought this to the attention of the officials. While it’s a done deal now and nothing can change, I’ve yet to receive satisfactory answers,” Kompany lamented.

Earlier in the season, Kompany disclosed that he’s prone to “tuning out” when it comes to VAR and game law explanations, especially after Lyle Foster’s last-minute goal was negated by VAR in a 1-1 stalemate against Nottingham Forest.

Burnley’s loss positions them at 19th in the Premier League rankings, lagging two points behind the safe zone.

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More about VAR Controversy

• Match Highlights: Bournemouth vs Burnley
• BBC Match of the Day Analysis
• Vincent Kompany’s Career and Views
• Premier League Official Rules on VAR
• Current Premier League Standings
• Howard Webb’s Statement on VAR
• Ian Wright’s Pundit Profile
• Luis Diaz’s Disallowed Goal Controversy
• Previous Burnley Matches and Controversies
• In-depth Guide to VAR in Football