Jason Cundy and Jamie O’Hara react to Everton controversy v Southampton

Jamie O’Hara and Jason Cundy got heated when discussing Beto’s disallowed goal as Everton crashed to defeat at Southampton.

VAR took minutes to make a definitive decision to deny a late equaliser in the 1-0 defeat at St Mary’s on 2 November, handing Saints their first win of the Premier League season.

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Cundy criticised the length of time it is taking for a semi-automated offside system to be rolled out across the league to avoid lengthy stoppages in these scenarios.

“If he’s offside, he’s offside,” Cundy said live on talkSPORT [2 November, 18:41].

O’Hara responded: “Oh, mate, have you seen it?”

“I have seen it,” Cundy reinforced.

“It looked like he was just offside, but with the naked eye, it’s impossible to tell. You can’t tell. They drew the lines; we need automated [decisions].

“Why hasn’t the semi-automated technology come in yet? Howard Webb said it was coming in, and I don’t know why it’s taking so long.”

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The promise of semi-automated technology has not been delivered quickly enough, simple as that.

Everton have potentially been denied a point by this delay, also helping Southampton to preserve the two points they initially thought they had lost as Beto put the ball in the net late on at St Mary’s.

Anything, frankly, is better and more efficient than the persistence of drawing lines at certain often undefined angles without giving the attacker the benefit of the doubt.

Beto Everton — Everton forward Beto [Credit: Imago]

VAR was brought in to solve clear and obvious errors – it is impossible at any degree of first glance to objectively rule Beto offside or level with the play.

Positive changes to the technology on non-subjective matters like offsides are long overdue, and Southampton are the beneficiary of the dithering approach by the governing bodies while Everton suffers yet again.

Sean Dyche will be more bothered by the approach of his side, who were more than passive yet again despite playing a team that hadn’t won before today.

It is not good enough at any level.