‘We’ll have to play with our hands chopped off’ – Wolves captain criticises VAR

Captain Conor Coady hit out at VAR after Wolves’ controversial stalemate at Leicester.

Leander Dendoncker’s second-half strike was ruled out after his initial header struck Willy Boly on the arm in Sunday’s 0-0 draw.

The midfielder’s header accidentally hit his team-mate before he scored the rebound and replays disallowed the 51st-minute goal.

Even if the handball is accidental, any goal scored or created with the hand or arm will be disallowed this term but Coady was unhappy.

He said: “It is a goal. People will say they have VAR and it has hit his hand, but he is not looking at the ball.

“We are going to have to play with our hands chopped off in future.

“If that is not a goal there is a problem. No-one appealed for it.

“But it is what it is, we have come here and put in a really good performance and we should have come away with three points.

“Common sense is Boly is not looking at the ball and not put his hand in the way to knock it down for himself and then shoot.

“He can’t do anything about it. They have brought VAR in to rectify all those problems but I think it has gone too far the other way now.”

Boss Nuno Espirito Santo remained understanding, even if he was unhappy with the 98-second wait between the goal being scored and ruled out.

He said: “Everyone is going to speak about it, game after game. Until things settle down and become normal it’s always going to be an issue.

“We celebrate, we don’t celebrate and then Leicester fans celebrate a non-goal, it’s not the mindset of the game. We cannot celebrate a decision.

“What concerns me more is the tempo, the time we stay in silence, I don’t like it.”

Aside from Dendoncker’s disallowed goal chances were at a premium in the teams’ Premier League opener, although Jota twice fired wide.

Wolves only returned from their 4-0 Europa League win over FC Pyunik in Armenia in the early hours of Friday – a round trip of 6,370 miles – and Nuno was happy with his side’s efforts.

“When a player comes into the dressing room having given everything he has I am a very proud manager,” he added.

Leicester’s best opening came when Jamie Vardy missed Youri Tielemans’ low cross in the first half.

But boss Brendan Rodgers knows, this week, the VAR decision went in the Foxes’ favour.

He said: “Listen, the rules are there. Obviously if you’re Nuno, it’s a different emotion, you think you’ve scored. But I think the rule is pretty clear.

“It was unfortunate for them and it benefited us because it shifted the momentum of the game a little bit and then we were able to get a foothold.

“But my feeling on VAR is that it’s going to work for you some weeks and go against you others. It worked for us and there will be another time it goes against us.

“I don’t think it (the wait) killed the contest or the atmosphere. The supporters are very passionate in this country and I think it will add something.”