Premier League Gameweek 19: Overreaction Monday ft LiVARpool, West Ham and the Title race

Premier League Gameweek 19: Overreaction Monday ft LiVARpool, West Ham and the Title race

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As the saying goes to think too much is a disease but when it comes to football rarely does a thought last more than a weekend unless it has some basis to it. That being said after an action packed weekend of overzealous fans in the Premier League, there were bound to be a few nonsensical debates.

VAR ridiculousness

Five massive and game-changing decisions have seen a few on Twitter, the interweb and across the world ask for a midseason VAR murder.

SC Take : It is getting genuinely irritating to write about this after every single weekend and yet every single weekend, it’s relevant and needs an article. That’s what the VAR in the Premier League has come to and yet people don’t even seem to realise that the real problem isn’t the technology – although the way England are using it is ridiculous – but the rule. And according to the rule – as given by FIFA – is that if any part of the body, whether it’s the big toe, armpit or even a strand of hair is, offside then it’s offside. Simple, easy and overly complicated which is what the VAR, in England at least, are checking and then ruling on.

That's not defending the VAR because they've bottled it so far but instead, it's defending what the VAR has done so far and begging the league to rethink a couple of things. If not for the fans, then do it for football, to save football or rather what's left of it.

Tottenham still have a defensive crisis

10 goals conceded away from home since Jose Mourinho took over, just the one clean sheet in 2019, one clean sheet since their loss to Manchester United means that Tottenham are in defensive crisis.

SC Take : Arsenal’s defensive issues over the last few years have seen them overshadow anything Tottenham has ever done but for once, their eternal rivals have the upper hand. And yes, Tottenham are in dire defensive crisis because they should have walked away from Carrow Road with nothing less than a miserable loss. Norwich City sliced them open at will and it could have been so much worse if not for VAR, with things only changing after the half-time break.

Even then, whenever the Canaries found their way forward, Spurs struggled to impose themselves against a side that has looked third-best over the last few months. And it also showcases that no matter what Jose Mourinho says, he needs an injection of energy in the winter because otherwise, Tottenham will not reach close to finishing in the top four.

West Ham are getting relegated

One point off the relegation zone, Manuel Pellegrini sacked and replaced with David Moyes has seen West Ham jump from top six contender to the greatest Championship side that ever lived.

SC Take: Thank god for West Ham, because if they weren’t going through hell, then there is no way that Arsenal, Chelsea, and even Tottenham will be able to survive the media onslaught. Especially the North London sides but West Ham are well on their way to watching yet another fan grab a corner flag, march to the center and then plant it firmly into the ground.

Hammers fans will know exactly what I’m talking about and for the uninitiated, it signals crisis. That’s the state the club finds themselves in having navigated around the world, only to fall back for a manager that they felt was never right for them in the first place less than 20 months later. The players they have, the fans they have and even that atmosphere lacking stadium deserves better than this.

Liverpool have won the title

A mammoth 14 point lead, one loss in 2019, one loss since the start of last season and the footballing world, neigh, the world has awarded Liverpool the league title.

SC Take: They say don’t count your chickens before they and yet here is the perfect example of doing just that. Who can blame them?? Liverpool are on course to not just break records but cast them aside like they mean nothing more than a couple of mickey mouse trophies. They’re on par to demolish Arsenal’s Invincibles, make Pep’s Manchester City look irrelevant, win a better-looking treble than Sir Alex Ferguson and even end a sensationally long title drought.

But then again, Newcastle had a ten-point lead atop the league table by Christmas which they increased to 12 by mid-January in the 1995-96 Premier League season.

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