Sean Dyche loses it during press conference and breaks down what is wrong with VAR after shocking Calvert-Lewin red card
SEAN DYCHE admitted VAR is beginning to “test his patience” as he raged at referees consulting the pitchside monitor before making decisions.
Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin was controversially sent off during the Toffees’ goalless draw with Crystal Palace in the FA Cup third round on Thursday night.
The attacker, 26, appeared to beat Nathaniel Clyne to the ball and cleanly bring it away with a sliding challenge.
But referee Chris Kavanagh was instructed to go to the monitor on the touchline, before he then dismissed Calvert-Lewin after watching several replays.
And Dyche was critical of referees having to go to the monitor as it almost always leads to the official changing their original decision.
Speaking in his post-match press conference, the Everton boss said: “I have no clue what that’s there for.
“I hope I’m not just speaking for myself but every fan must go, ‘what is the point?’, because we all know the outcome which is that they agree with everything that they’re told, unless someone can tell me 10 incidents that aren’t.
“I don’t know what the stats are but the chances of something getting turned over are minuscule, so don’t bother.
“Let’s just get on with it, afterwards we might debate it but what’s the point in doing it there and then unless you change it?
“We’ve had all sorts already by the way. VAR moments where you go, ‘how is that?’ You explain it afterwards but where does it live?
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“(Anthony) Martial at home to us, a penalty, you can clearly see his legs collapsing before there is any contact but then they go ‘yeah, but there was a contact’. If you slow down everything, you’re going to find what you’re looking for.
“I’m a fan of VAR but I just don’t get all this delaying and looking at the screen for a minuscule chance they’ll turn it over.”
Dyche also went on to question who is in charge of any single game given both the on-field referee and the VAR are consulting one another about various calls.
He added: “VAR seems a bit confused at the moment.
“We’re unsure, we’ve had a number this season where I don’t know who is refereeing and while I am a fan, I think it needs tidying up and for whatever reason I thought it was getting tidied up but it seems to have stepped back a little bit.
“I remain a fan at this stage but it is beginning to test my patience. Apart from the offsides that are obvious, what’s got a chance now of being let play and what’s got a chance of getting called back? We don’t actually know.
“We just keep our fingers crossed and hope that we get on the right side of it and we generally haven’t.”
Dyche refused to confirm one way or another whether Everton will appeal the Calvert-Lewin sending off.
If the decision is upheld, he will miss the replay with Palace at Goodison Park, along with Premier League games against Aston Villa and Fulham.
Dyche said: “We’ll wait and see. I’ll double-check the process but in the end it’s one of those risk and reward things, is it worth it or not worth it?
“I don’t think anyone even knows what’s going to happen with these decisions now. Certainly tonight it was one where I didn’t know and then after seeing it I went, ‘where does that live?’
“We’ll see, we’ll analyse it and get an outside view and then we’ll decide.”