Bournemouth Boss Claims Reece James' Equaliser Against Chelsea Should Have Been Disallowed
Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola argued that Reece James’ late free-kick equaliser for Chelsea should have been ruled out due to Marc Cucurella's interference with the defensive wall.
Original Source
The Standard
Written by
Craig 'Tosh' McKinnon
In a thrilling 2-2 draw between Chelsea and Bournemouth, Reece James rescued a point for the Blues with a stoppage-time free kick. However, Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola criticised the decision to let the goal stand, claiming Marc Cucurella illegally interfered with the defensive wall. The Premier League's laws require attacking players to remain at least one yard from the wall, a rule Iraola believes was violated. While Chelsea also protested an earlier decision not to send off David Brooks for a challenge on Cucurella, Iraola defended the referee's call in that instance.
- Controversial Equaliser:
- Iraola claimed Cucurella's positioning in the Bournemouth wall breached the rules, stating that the decision to allow the goal could have been resolved quickly by VAR.
- Chelsea's Frustration:
- The Blues felt aggrieved by the decision to only show David Brooks a yellow card for pulling Cucurella’s hair earlier in the game, a call that drew criticism from Enzo Maresca.
- VAR’s Role Questioned:
- Iraola expressed confusion over VAR’s inconsistent involvement, questioning why VAR intervened for the Brooks incident but overlooked Cucurella’s positioning for the free kick.
- Game Recap:
- Cole Palmer opened the scoring for Chelsea before Bournemouth responded with goals from Justin Kluivert and Antoine Semenyo. Reece James’ last-minute free kick salvaged a point for Chelsea.
- Implications:
- The result leaves Chelsea winless in five Premier League games, while Bournemouth gained a valuable point despite their injury struggles.
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Photo Credit
Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Written by
Craig 'Tosh' McKinnon
Co-founder of The1905Club. A life long Chelsea fan and season ticket holder for over twenty years. Now residing in Poland, this doesn't stop Tosh from watching every minute of every game.
