LAURA WOODS: EMBARRASSING VAR, WOEFUL SPURS & WHY IRAOLA WILL COME GOOD AT LIVERPOOL
LATEST VAR ERROR WAS EMBARRASSING
You probably have to give credit where it’s due to Howard Webb for acknowledging a mistake like the one the officials made in the Manchester Derby.
Although it almost makes it doubly as frustrating because the problem with saying that there's been tunnel vision is that the whole point of VAR is that you have time to look at it, with more eyes on it, more angles and the ability to slow things down or stop and rewind to look again.
So that, to me, was almost more frustrating.
My concern with VAR generally has always been that they are overwhelmed in there because of the amount of pressure, because of previous mistakes and also with half of world football not wanting VAR to come in to begin with.
They are always going to be up against it but that is the job of an official. You have to have some bottle and a lot of knowledge to be in that position in the first place.
I've always said I think they're under-resourced, which is why you get some people in there that aren't as experienced as perhaps they need to be, even though there are full-time refs in there too.
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But I do think this one was just such a glaring error – not that I noticed it in real time but it’s not my job to. I'm not a trained official and I don't have an assistant sitting next to me with the ability to go back.
So, what is the procedure? If you've got tunnel vision on one of the events, you're both looking at the same thing. So why isn’t one of you looking at the process instead and asking ‘if there’s an offside moment here and we follow it along the line do we see someone interfering with play causing people not to be able to defend it?’
It shouldn't be that difficult, especially with the technology in there and all the eyes on it.
It screams that they’re either incapable of carrying out the task, inexperienced at it or just under too much pressure; I don’t know which it is, but it’s embarrassing when things like this happen over and over again.
Because we're not talking about like Sunday League here, we're talking about Premier League football. We're talking about the Manchester Derby. We're talking about Arsenal and Manchester City being in title races for the last few years where massive calls like this can actually affect things even this early on.
I don’t think it’s done anyone any favours but I’d be really angry if I were Michael Carrick.
Man City to win the league is 9/4 with BetMGM
WHY WE CAN’T LUMP VILLA IN WITH SPURS
I don’t think Tottenham versus Aston Villa is quite a six-pointer just because it’s so early in the season – and Villa had a poor start last season and finished fourth in the end so, yeah, way too early for that.
But what I would say is that Spurs look absolutely woeful.
I think the reason their situation is so different to Villa’s at the moment because they’ve spent so much money. I even said they’d won the transfer window a few weeks ago!
So what’s happened? Why is it not clicking? I get they’re a team in transition but to not score any goals… I can’t believe how bad it is.
They’ve obviously been unlucky with injuries and, look, they might get going and it’s very early to call anything at this stage of the season – but you can’t look to the board and blame them now; it’s got to be the players on the pitch.
I think that’s why it looks so bad at Spurs compared to Villa.
Villa are a different kettle of fish purely because they’ve had such a clearout in the summer and lost so many good players that I have sympathy for them.
They won none of their first five last season and still finished fourth so they definitely deserve that time and I’ve got a lot more faith that Unai Emery can turn things round despite it all.
Aston Villa to finish top four is 12/1 with BetMGM
IRAOLA WILL GET IT RIGHT AT LIVERPOOL
Andoni Iraola just needs a little more time to settle at Liverpool, in my view.
He knows the league so it’s not like he’s completely alien to it. I think the context is important, too: they still haven’t lost a game.
I did their Champions League game against Atletico Madrid where they were just brilliant. So it’s just a matter of consistency – which is what Arne Slot had an issue with as well – that time should iron out.
I’m slightly worried about their midfield and their transfer business but not massively worried about them overall.
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And, yes, being Liverpool manager is completely different to being Bournemouth boss. You’ve got a crowd that expect to win, have won very recently and want to do it again.
But they’ll give him time. He’s dealt well with the challenges he’s faced already, like Alexis Mac Allister going public about his contract situation.
He said after the Atletico game he likes developing players and that he has to learn about them all – he’s still in that position.
It’s all a new challenge for him; I think he’ll come good.
Liverpool to finish top English team in Champions League league phase is 4/1 with BetMGM
MY GOLDEN GOALS MATCHDAY 5 SELECTIONS
Here are my picks for this week’s Golden Goals, BetMGM’s free-to-play correct score predictor game with up to £100,000 up for grabs:
- Brighton 1–2 Arsenal
- Leeds 2–1 Crystal Palace
- Newcastle 2–0 Hull
- Nott’m Forest 2–0 Coventry
- Bournemouth 1–2 Liverpool
- Fulham 1–1 Manchester United
Even getting as few as two correct scores right could land you a prize, from Free Bets to a share of £5,000!
Fancy it? Get your own entries in here or, if you need a hand deciding, take a look at BetMGM’s expert analysis for all six games here first.
JURY’S OUT ON NEW INTERNATIONAL BREAK
I can see why they’ve changed the international break but it’s quite a lot in one space.
It’s also quite a big break for the Premier League managers as well – especially the new ones, and there are so many new ones!
There’s also the player welfare side of things with all the build-up, the different camps, different travel and that sort of stuff.
I’m in the same camp as a lot of people in not always loving international breaks in general but I understand why they need to be there and this one is a hefty chunk of time.
England to win the Nations League is 9/2 with BetMGM
HOPE AMY HUNT WINS SPOTY
Love that BetMGM has Amy Hunt as favourite for the 2026 BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award. She’s my favourite as well.
It’s quite rare and just very impressive to be across two disciplines – the 100m and 200m – but to be incredible at them both and win gold in them both is even more so.
There’s something about SPOTY and athletics; it lands really well. The individual events on big scales and big stages connect with people – I know it does for me.
Some of my best memories of athletics are things like Jessica Ennis-Hill in 2012, Sally Gunnell back in the day… they resonate really well.
Amy Hunt to win SPOTY, for sure!
Amy Hunt to win the Sports Personality of the Year Award is 11/10 with BetMGM
Odds correct at time of publication but subject to change. Please note: This week's Golden Goals deadline is Saturday 19th September 15:00. Opt-in is required and you can find out more here.
Golden Goals Terms & Conditions
Opt in & predict 6 correct scores (see game lobby for weekly tournament cut-off time) to win up to £100k jackpot. Predict 2+ correct scores and win a prize (ranging from Free Bets to £5k Prizepool). Winnings shared evenly in case of multiple winners. Each prize subject to its own terms. Void if 1 or more matches postponed/abandoned or not completed. Verification procedures apply. 18+. T&Cs and exclusions apply.
