VAR Mars Tarkowski’s Big Night
A hugely controversial late penalty
awarded with the use of VAR spoiled Burnley’s England debutant James Tarkowski’s
big Wembley night.
The
Clarets centre half was making his first international appearance for England
and had provided an assured performance on his debut.
Tarkowski’s
ability to pick a pass and intercept with timely tackles mirrored his season
long form under the auspices of Burnley gaffer Sean Dyche.
Then
along came the German match referee Deniz Aytekin who decided to put a huge
dampener on Tarkowski’s opening night. Quite what prompted the German referee to
use the video assistant referee to call a penalty is open to debate.
There
was no clear and obvious problem when Italy’s Federico Chiesa overran the ball
and was already falling when Tarkowski inadvertently stood on the Italian’s trailing
boot.
If
VAR had been available in the 1966 World Cup final, perhaps Geoff Hurst’s second
goal may never have stood but it appeared the German referee needed to smooth
the Teutonic hurt by awarding Italy a totally undeserved equaliser from the
penalty spot.
Following
Tarkowski’s first England cap, Burney Football Club are half a million pounds
worse off this morning. Brentford had inserted a clause in the Bees’ sale of Tarkowski
to Burnley that stipulated should the centre half be capped by England in a
friendly, 500k would wing its way to Griffin Park.
After
this assured performance from the Clarets centre half, it seems highly likely
another half a million pounds will be going to Brentford; a second Bees bonus awarded
should Tarkowski play in a competitive game for the Three Lions.
Sean
Dyche is unlikely to be concerned with paying this Bees bounty; Tarkowski’s
value will have rocketed following his most impressive England debut. It was a
pity for the Turf Moor faithful that Burnley shot stopper Nick Pope did not
make it off the England bench to earn his first England cap.
Time
may be running out for Pope to make the England World Cup squad for Russia, but
time is still very much on his side in the long term for his England prospects.
There can be little doubt he will have benefited greatly from his first
experience as part of the England camp.
Talking
of England goalkeepers. Tom Heaton is now fully recovered from his shoulder
injury and is chomping on the bit to regain his place in the Three Lions goal.
First,
he will need to be selected ahead of the hugely impressive Nick Pope, a player
who seized his opportunity literally with both hands, when Heaton was injured earlier
in the season. Sean Dyche now has a real selection headache on his hands.
The
Burnley skipper came through a competitive development squad match unscathed
against Queens Park Rangers earlier this week and is ready to take his place
back in the Clarets goal.
It will be mighty interesting to see
which of the two Burnley England World Cup hopefuls takes the goalkeeping gloves
when the Clarets play the beleaguered Baggies at the Hawthorns on Saturday
(TEC).
Source: DSG