Burnley boss Sean Dyche on 'incredibly frustrating' refereeing decisions and outrunning Leeds United in defeat

Sean Dyche had no complaint with Leeds United but left Elland Road an 'incredibly frustrated' man thanks to the officiating of the Whites' 1-0 win.
INCREDIBLY FRUSTRATED - Sean Dyche was very unhappy with two refereeing decisions in the Leeds United game against his Burnley side at Elland Road. Pic: Jonathan GawthorpeINCREDIBLY FRUSTRATED - Sean Dyche was very unhappy with two refereeing decisions in the Leeds United game against his Burnley side at Elland Road. Pic: Jonathan Gawthorpe
INCREDIBLY FRUSTRATED - Sean Dyche was very unhappy with two refereeing decisions in the Leeds United game against his Burnley side at Elland Road. Pic: Jonathan Gawthorpe

Dyche felt his side ran Leeds 'into the floor' in a second half they dominated, creating but not finishing a number of chances.

What angered the Clarets boss was the performance of referee Rob Jones and two incidents in particular. Nick Pope's early challenge on Patrick Bamford that resulted in a penalty for the hosts, from which Bamford scored the winner, and a free-kick awarded to Illan Meslier later in the first half, were the cause of Dyche's ire.

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Meslier came to claim a high ball, collided with Ben Mee and dropped the ball, allowing Ashley Barnes to hit the back of the net. But Jones had already whistled for a foul on Meslier.

At full-time Dyche approached Jones to ask how soon the two could meet to discuss the game but he got little satisfaction from the resulting chat.

"When you do speak to referees, it is a difficult one, they've just finished, it is an emotional one for them as well," he said.

"It's a strange thing when they use that 'in your opinion' despite you being able to say you've seen it 15 times.

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"They were perfectly civil, as was I, but I am very frustrated.

"I've got to be honest I think Popey's got the ball, he's got the ball. I'm not amazed, the very top of the game is saying they want more penalties, there's been a directive for that.

"[For the second incident] I have no clue how the referee doesn't give himself five or six seconds, Barnsley whacks it in the goal, the keeper spills the ball, Mee doesn't even look at the man, keeper knees him in the back, drops the ball and somehow it's a foul on him. It's an impossibility. Incredibly frustrated. They had two very, very important decisions today that went against us.

"He said he felt it was a clear foul by Ben Mee on the goalkeeper.

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"If he whacks it in the net, which he did, I'm alarmed that that is now a foul. Someone's just tried to head the ball, he's put a knee in Ben Mee's back and dropped the ball, if that's a foul we're in trouble. The game is in a really precarious moment where physicality is at a minimum. You're pushing towards a non contact sport. The new thing of screaming, feigning injury. Fans have got to be really careful. It still is the world's game, the people's game and the people have to be careful what they're wishing for. Physicality it's at an all-time low. If that physicality is taken out you're going to get a strange product. There's lots of things that need adjusting."

Dyche says he is in favour of VAR but can't fathom why they are unable to intervene when a referee gives a decision as quickly as Jones did when he denied Barnes a goal.

"The rule as I understand it is if they give it too quick that's the referee's decision," he said.

"I'm a fan of VAR but certain decisions have to be overturned there and then in my opinion. You remember the one at Villa where the ball was over the line, that was bizarre. Key decisions are important. We were terrific second half but it's a very difficult game for our players with the way it's officiated in my opinion."

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He admitted that his own side were to blame for not capitalising on their second half dominance, however. Burnley pressed high up the pitch and stopped Leeds from playing out, turning the ball back into the area on numerous occasions to cause the hosts problems.

Meslier was forced into a number of saves and interventions as Burnley piled on the pressure and won a succession of late corners for which Pope came upfield.

"You can never guarantee that [the decisions cost them the game]," he said.

"I thought our performance would be the thing that completely changed the game. We can debate the penalty, but poor shape from us which is unusual. They had the edge of the game, bit more tempo. Second half we outran them, outperformed them and couldn't find a breakthrough. Aside of the referee and officials in general we have to find the moments. We had so many chances to find the final pass or finish, we didn't have them today.

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"[Leeds have] done well, they've been lauded as well. We've ran them into the floor physically and asked so many questions of them.

"You dominate that much you think you have to find the net and we didn't.

"They had a couple of good chances first half, as did we. They had one good break in the second half. They've been getting some plaudits, rightly so. Credit to them, they've dug in, they've fought. I'm certainly not questioning Leeds but we deserved at least a point out of the game."