THE term ‘Typical City’ used to denote catastrophes self-inflicted. Now it is applicable for fiascos enacted onto the club time and again from external forces.
In April, at the climax of a quite extraordinary contest Manchester City scored a late, late fifth goal to take them through to a Champions League semi-final at the expense of Tottenham Hotspur. Only a video review showed that Sergio Aguero’s kneecap peeked ahead of the last defender in the build-up meaning that VAR had its first big scene-stealing moment in English football.
Consequently, with VAR entering the Premier League this season like a jobsworth health and safety officer stomping into a fun party and demanding the balloons are taken down because they don’t adhere to code 37 sub-clause D City supporters fretted all summer on the implications of this. There were conspiratorial suggestions that Liverpool might benefit from a penalty awarded every weekend while a general fear that City would be ‘screwed over’ was commonplace.
Man City: *Scores a winner against Spurs*
VAR: pic.twitter.com/yNkDfOvzAS
— Martino (@martino67_) August 17, 2019
An early indicator of this took place at the London Stadium on the opening day when Raheem Sterling was adjudged by the system to be offside by a quarter of an eyelash but that was nothing to the events at the Etihad on Saturday, events so seismic that even two sleeps later they are difficult to process.
Once again City scored a dramatic last-gasp winner and once again the euphoria of celebrating the greatest reward the sport can offer up in compensation for all of our sacrifice and loyalty and countless hours spent in planes, trains and automobiles was snatched from us and replaced by considerable angst and confusion. On this occasion Aymeric Laporte’s arm unintentionally touched the ball on route to Gabby Jesus and the new flawed handball ruling states this is punishable. Ergo the latest VAR-City blues descended.
A moment should be taken here to acknowledge how incredible it is that such a heightened, haunting circumstance should again play out, with only the body part and competition differing. Indeed half of the shock amidst that awful vacuum was disbelief that the horrid history could be repeating itself.
Even so, this alone does not make it comparable to the ‘Typical City’ phenomena that didn’t solely deal in pain. Back then there was tragi-comedy also; paradoxical and often bizarre and greeted with a sardonic suspicion that this could only happen to City.
What does make it comparable is the blatant penalty not given in the first half; as stonewall a decision as you’re ever likely to see as Erik Lamela wrestled Rodri to the turf. It was clear as day in real time yet VAR staggeringly said no. It was the first known incident on English soil of a VAR decision being universally disagreed with and sod and his law decreed that it had to involve us.
Pep on the Lamela push on Rodri in the first half which he says was a penalty: 'VAR was having a coffee in that minute'
— Sam Wallace (@SamWallaceTel) August 17, 2019
More so, there is this bittersweet nugget to digest: it has been reported that a determining reason behind the ludicrous handball ruling’s introduction was the injustice that befell City last term, as Fernando Llorente accidentally handled the ball to score Spurs’ decisive third to end our Champions League dream. So VAR and the rules unfairly cost us dear necessitating that the latter is amended. The amended rule then almost immediately costs us dear against the very same side.
There is however cause to be calmed – or at the very least a motivation to drop any paranoia – and that reason can be found in an undeniable truth. This season City will both benefit from and be hurt by VAR significantly more than any other club simply because we attack more than others and boast more possession. Against Spurs a rabid Pep Guardiola side racked up a shot every three minutes. The visitors meanwhile could barely get out of their half. So should VAR play a prominent role here who is it most likely to impact, whether that be in a positive or negative sense?
Decisions will start to go City’s way. That’s the long and short of it. They statistically have to. Staying with the fixture the Blues pulverised a team who – courtesy of a midfield refurbishment – can be expected to challenge them for the title next May. Tottenham were put into a blender from the off, bewildered by sharp movement and quick, incisive passing with Kevin de Bruyne truly exceptional and unusually advanced throughout. It was a masterclass all told with only poor finishing leaving it shy of being a masterpiece.
What Manchester City produced was the best of football. From VAR its possible ruination. “I don’t think it’s possible that we play better,” Guardiola said afterwards, storied words indeed given the incredible performances of recent seasons. Yet still it amounted to two dropped points via external forces. How typical.
