Burnley manager Sean Dyche has reflected on a soft and contentious penalty decision that saw the side fall to a third stoppage defeat to Arsenal in a row.
Hosting Arsenal at the weekend it was the third time in succession Arsene Wenger’s side had taken a stoppage time winner to take all three points, and contentious decisions featured in all three games.
Speaking to the Official Site as he met with the media for his post game press conference, a frustrated Dyche explained.
‘Three times against the same side, in the last minute, leaves you scratching your head. It`s a difficult one for statisticians to work out the odds, that`s for sure. You almost stand there and can`t believe what you are seeing. But that is football. It`s probably a penalty, in fairness, and certainly a less contentious decision than the last two, but the only thing is that he is never going to get the ball. He does make contact, but that late in the game you have to be 100 per cent sure and to be honest, it was highly unlikely anything other than a penalty was going to get given today, decisions wise.’
Dyche went on to say.
‘The players are frustrated about many things in the game today that were miles out of our control. There were a number of strange decisions, but I have to look beyond that and it`s also difficult because I felt it was a very good performance from us, particularly in the first half. To play against a side like that and keep them on the back foot, and limit them to so few chances, was very pleasing.’
Adding.
‘They had a good 15 minutes of the second half and then we got back into it, so overall it`s a good performance and we`re just disappointed in the outcome. So many part of our performance were pleasing and I told the players that afterwards. It`s hard to define sometimes how you get nothing from a game, but we didn`t today. The growth I talk about in the side was there again today and the gaps we are trying to shorten against the other teams and the real superpower clubs was on show. On any given day it`s hard because when they really turn up it makes it doubly difficult, but on an even chance such as today I thought we performed very well.’
Ben Mee also cut a frustrated figure at full time, describing the late decision as a ‘kick in the teeth’ given the efforts of the players.
‘It happened to us against these a couple of times last season, so to happen again is really disappointing. It was a kick in the teeth. I thought it was soft. His back was towards me and I was concentrating on the ball coming over his head. Tarky said he put his arms up and the ball was going over his head, so there was no reason to push him. Tarky`s disappointed. He didn`t feel he had done too much to affect the player who went down. He was disappointed, but he was fantastic again today, so there will be no hard feelings towards him and he will pick himself up and come back.’
He did however know that there were plenty of positives the players should focus on.
‘There were massive positives. We matched a really good side and played really well in the first half. I think we had the better opportunities, the better of the play and created some good chances. The second half was a different game. We had to dig in and defend really well and counter on the break. We played well and we will pick ourselves up from this disappointment and we will go and perform on Wednesday, for sure.’
Cant believe its happend for a 3rd time. watched it over several time such a soft penalty, On another day and another Ref this would not have been given.