A combination of Premier League and FA Cup action was ideal as it meant there was even more action to pick this week’s funniest moments from, ranging from the usual VAR controversies to the FA Cup upsets.
6. Leyton Orient
Leyton Orient were handed a plum FA Cup 1st round against one of the lowest-ranked teams left in the competition: a home game against 8th tier Maldon and Tiptree (no I’ve never heard of them either). However, it was the away side who progressed to the 2nd round for the first time in their history, winning 2-1 against the League Two side despite being reduced to 10 men in the second half.
5. Southend
Next up on the cup-upset list is Southend who frankly didn’t surprise anyone by losing 1-0 to non-league Dover. Sol Campbell’s side have had a nightmare start to the season and any hope of a cup run to distract them in the league was quashed thanks to a dire performance on Sunday. The Shrimpers rarely attacked and Dover progressed with a victory that was far too routine.
4. Accrington Stanley
This isn’t me taking the mick out of the team itself, rather what happened in the game between Stanley and Crewe this weekend. The League One side were dispatched 2-0 by League Two Crewe Alexandra, but the game didn’t conclude until it was nearly 6 o’clock after both the referee and the referee’s replacement were injured in the first half. The second half, in traditionally professional standards, was played with just one linesman.
3. Roberto
West Ham have been in dreadful form of late, slipping a lot closer to the relegation places than the European spots. This has been in some part due to the “inspired” form (sarcastic) of summer signing Roberto, who enjoyed another impressive display away at Burnley this weekend. The Hammers lost 3-0 after the Spanish goalkeeper gifted Burnley a second goal thanks to an awful throw, before punching the ball into his own net for Burnley’s third goal.
2. Pep Guardiola
Pep seems to have been rattled during Manchester City’s 3-1 loss at Anfield and frankly didn’t give the best account of himself. The Spanish manager was screaming for handball when Sergio Aguero smashed the ball at Trent Alexander-Arnold’s hand from about a metre away, although with the current state of VAR and refereeing, who could blame him. I think he knows that City will have to pull off a miracle to win the league from here.
1. VAR
Honestly, just scrap it. Sheffield United’s disallowed goal at Spurs was one of the worst decisions I’ve ever seen. John Lundstram’s toe was adjudged to be offside by the ever so accurate drawn lines we see and his cross didn’t even result in a goal. If he had smaller feet the goal would have stood and the Blades probably would have won the game. It’s a complete farce and I thank God that it hasn’t found its way into the lower leagues yet.
