VAR overshadows the Manchester Derby & Barcelona can't stop scoring! | Weekend Review

Ryan Bailey (0:20)

Welcome to the Total Soccer Show Week In Review!

Manchester City won the derby, but the occasion was marred by a bad off-side call and a dubious red card. It was the biggest win for Enzo Moresca by far, but a huge defeat for the concept of VAR. Elsewhere, Arsenal still looked strong and things look amazing for Hull. But when will Tottenham manage to score their first goal? In Spain, Barcelona's perfect start is still going strong, and in Italy, Christian Pulisic made an impact when he came on. My name's Ryan Bailey. Joining me today, the one and only Taylor Rockwell is here. Hi Taylor, how are you?

Taylor Rockwell (0:58)

I've been better. It was a weekend. It was a game of soccer yesterday. It wasn't my favorite result, nor was it my favorite officiating performance, nor was it my favorite Manchester United performance. I have thoughts.

Ryan Bailey (1:10)

Okay.

Let's hear those, shall we? In sequential order, very shortly.

Taylor Rockwell (1:15)

Manchester United bad, but VAR not help?

Ryan Bailey (1:19)

Good TLDR. I like it. We'll get there very shortly. Joining us to discuss that, and so much more from the weekend, Graham Rutherwins here. Hi, Graham. How are you?

Graham Rutherwins (1:27)

Hello, Ryan Bailey. I'm good. Just very quickly before we move on, a quick VAR check on your intro there. Thankfully, the TSS VAR machine works better than the PGMOL's VAR machine.

Did you rhyme hull and goal in your introduction today? Is that?

Ryan Bailey (1:46)

Yes. Yes.

Graham Rutherwins (1:47)

That was a thing. Let me just quickly check the working on that.

No, disallowed. Sorry. That's an eagle back.

Ryan Bailey (1:54)

One second. Pulling up rhymezone.com.

Graham Rutherwins (1:57)

He's right.

Ryan Bailey (1:58)

He's right.

Graham Rutherwins (2:00)

Disallowed.

Ryan Bailey (2:02)

All right. That's fair. That's fair. I will not argue that decision, but maybe we can talk about it for a few days. Like other VAR decisions that are coming on this podcast. Before we get to the main action from the Manchester Derby and all the other big games of the weekend, we have a Patreon, patreon.com/totalsoccershow, where you get our bonus content. You'll get access to our Discord server to chat with all the cool kids in there and extra episodes, including weekend review extra all of the weekend. We can't fit in this segment is going to go on the bonus feed, including but not limited to look at the Bundesliga by Munich. Did a win in Harry Kane scored.

Surprise.

Rangers played Celtic. How many times this season already? Is that the third or fourth already?

Graham Rutherwins (2:45)

That's the first time this season, Ryan, you'll never guess when the next one is. It's this weekend. Hey!

What?

Taylor Rockwell (2:52)

That's something.

Ryan Bailey (2:55)

Yes, that and much more. Everything we can't fit on to this episode going on the bonus TSS Plus patreon.com/totalsoccershow. Thanks to everybody who supports us via that medium. All right, let's do it. Let's talk about the Manchester Derby, shall we?

The 199th Manchester Derby. This was obviously City getting the 1-0 win, courtesy of Erling Haaland. Also, courtesy of the goal being given, despite Enzo Fernandez being in a position where he appeared to play from an offside position quite clearly. Yeah, okay, I think that's it. We've had the Professional Referees Association admitting that goal should not have been allowed. Obviously, it was ruled offside on the field. VAR overruled the field with an incorrect decision. So not a great process here, shall we say.

Taylor, we will talk about Man City and Man United's prowess, but this VAR and these officiating stories, we should also talk about the red card for Phil Foden as well. Maybe one that wasn't given to another player.

This has dominated proceedings, hasn't it?

Taylor Rockwell (4:01)

Yeah, and I think should dominate proceedings because it is the latest obvious example of VAR not simplifying the game, not getting things right, not really helping us understand the rules of the game and how this is a function and in this case, getting it objectively incorrect. It seems also, I haven't seen this anywhere, but in another setting, I'm blaming this entirely on using ChatGPT to get things right because it sounds like the review was based on was Holland offside and Holland was not offside. So then VAR recommends the decision be overturned, and it seems like doesn't really pay attention to the other player who's obviously involved in this equation.

So in omitting that key piece of data, they then go with, never mind Holland was onside, the goal is good, and it felt like in the moment, had to then on-the-fly make up an explanation a little bit as to how Enzo wasn't involved and hope that that would work out. But the defender is drawn to him, he's making a diving attempt at a header, he ends up inside the goal. I'm not quite sure how that isn't being involved that I think in the end.