Viewpoint: Bournemouth vs. Burnley VAR debate shouldn’t overshadow another heartbreaking loss

We may argue about offsides, VAR calls, and refereeing disputes until we’re blue in the face, but one thing is certain: Burnley suffered yet another heartbreaking loss in this match.

Claimed by some to be a “six pointer” and a “must win,” mostly by us giddy reporters who love exaggeration, the Clarets just needed to respond to Brentford’s crushing loss the previous time around.

We saw a slight but noticeable improvement in the overall performance. Before kickoff, it was still far from convincing enough against a team lower in the table—and let’s not forget, without a win either.

But when it came down to it, Burnley had no qualms with the outcome as long as they ignored the VAR controversy and evaluated the game on its own merits.

The superior team, Bournemouth, had the more obvious opportunities and enjoyed the longer spells of pressure.

Nevertheless, as we’ve stated numerous times this season, Burnley was ultimately the ones who planned to shoot themselves in the foot and were in charge of their own demise.

It is evident that they did not absorb the lesson from the Brentford game, as they were often caught in possession and punished for pretty easy errors.

How did Bournemouth manage to achieve both of their goals? from losing possession of the ball in the middle of the park.

The players could be excused for taking some time to adjust to the new level in the early going of the season, as they are hardly given a second on the ball, let alone the two or three they would have in the Championship.

However, with ten games remaining, there’s no justification for sluggishness or appearing to put undue strain on oneself by taking an extra touch or waiting an extra second. We all know that in this competition, it can make a difference to pause for one extra second.

That proved to be true when Antoine Semenyo captured Charlie Taylor, the improbable hero who had just ten minutes earlier, after he took one touch too many in the middle of the park.

With time and space, the Cherries player took full advantage, racing towards the Burnley box and firing low across James Trafford and into the far corner.

It was unfortunate for Taylor, as he had just had a momentous occasion – scoring his first goal for the team on his 198th appearance.

The left-back, who has been with the team for six years, finally scored and did so with style, stopping the Bournemouth goalkeeper with a deft volley from 20 yards out.

Despite the fact that the half finished in a draw, it was clear who had been the superior team. Burnley enjoyed brief moments of happiness, but overall, the hosts were more likely.

Huge pressure was applied on Trafford, particularly from corners, when the Cherries pounded the ball into the encamped six-yard box whenever they had the chance.

To his credit, the teenage goalie refused to give in and stopped several crosses that were heading into this box with his fists.

However, the goalie faced yet another difficult afternoon as he made several snap judgments and lacked composure when the ball was at his feet.

Given the circumstances, he will undoubtedly share part of the blame for Bournemouth’s winning goal as well, which came from a chipped 45-yard attempt by Philip Billing.

However, goalkeepers these days are expected to be standing that high up the pitch while their side is in possession, as Kompany mentioned in his post-match evaluation. It would not have been an issue if Vitinho had not misplaced the ball in his own half.

Even if the goal’s peculiarity were taken away, Andoni Iraola’s team simply deserved it. They had controlled the second half, keeping the Clarets pinned in their own half and exerting almost complete control.

To their credit, Burnley made a great effort and finished strong. The games and fun started at this point.

Jay Rodriguez, a halftime substitute, was passed through by fellow sub Nathan Redmond with one minute remaining in normal time, but the linesman called him offside.

The whole thing turned into a comedy. The VAR check took exactly seven minutes, and in that time, they displayed two entirely different images: one with a red picture that indicated the opposite of offside and one with a green line that indicated it.

It is likely that they drew the lines incorrectly, or incorrectly in that location, but they took an excessive amount of time to make a choice. As it arrived, it was hostile to the guests.

What really infuriated Kompany, though, was what he thought his team was denied a clear penalty deep into stoppage time when Sander Berge nearly bundled in a thrilling late equalizer.

Much to the chagrin of Kompany, his teammates, and his coaching staff, there was no VAR check conducted in addition to the apparent handball that was not observed on the field.

Maybe he has a point, but Kompany has never been one to focus too much on the contentious choices that are now present in almost every game. Why then now?

He would know deep down that his soldiers gave yet another subpar, utterly unsatisfactory performance. During his news appearance, he gave off an air of despondency that said it all.

Unless something significantly changes, Burnley is still a long, long way off from it and faces an even longer season ahead of them.