Dyche 'stunned' by 'bizarre' VAR calls in 'easy' game to officiate
It was a 'bad day at the office' for match officials - Dyche
Forest's head coach Sean Dyche voiced his anger at the officials over some "bizarre" decisions in his side's heartbreaking 2-1 loss by City.
The manager believed Rayan Cherki's 83rd-minute winner at the City Ground ought to have been ruled out for a infringement on Morgan Gibbs-White prior to the shot.
He also thought that referee Rob Jones ought to have shown City defender Ruben Dias a dismissal in the second half.
"Such an easy game to referee, in my opinion, such an easy decision for VAR [video assistant referee]," Dyche remarked.
"To have played so superbly and then be forced to address how the referees impacted the match is galling, but their effect was obvious.
"Everyone in the stadium and everyone watching at home could see that."
Should Cherki's winner have been ruled out?
The Forest boss has claimed four wins in his nine top-flight games at the helm
Sitting just outside the bottom three, a point against an dominant City side would have moved Forest further away from the relegation places.
But Cherki crushed their hopes as he slammed home a half-volley, drilling the ball from the edge of the box through the legs of Gibbs-White.
Forest players were immediately protested to referee Jones, arguing that Gibbs-White had been pushed to the ground by Nico O'Reilly and prevented from blocking Cherki's strike.
"There's a clear push on Morgan Gibbs-White, and the identical player then becomes an obstruction," Dyche explained.
"However, he's unable to make the block because the ball travels through the space his body would have occupied. From any angle, it's a foul."
The VAR examined the play, but decided to stick with Jones' on-field decision to stand.
Dyche added: "They'll say, 'Yeah, the ball wasn't there'. And you go, 'OK, so if the ball's not near the keeper and you push the keeper to the floor, is that going to be a foul then?'.
"Everyone knows it would be. I am baffled. And then they go and score from the situation, which compounds the error.
"I fully endorse VAR technology - I am at a loss to explain how such a clear error was made."
The Forest player protested to the referee, insisting he was fouled prior to the winning strike
Ought Dias have been sent off?
Dyche was further angered about Jones' decision not to send Dias off.
The experienced defender received a booking for dissent in the first half, arguing about a decision against him after his challenge on Igor Jesus.
Immediately after halftime, Dias tripped Igor Jesus again as the Forest forward was advancing with the ball.
"It's deemed unintentional. Yet an accidental foul denying a clear chance is a red. So why is this different and not a second yellow?" Dyche said.
"It's absolutely perplexing to me. These are straightforward calls. Issue the second caution, that's all. 'Leave the pitch'. I am totally dumbfounded."
Jones gave Forest a free-kick but ignored calls by Igor Jesus and other Forest players to show Dias a second yellow card.
