The Carabao Cup semis and more upheaval at Real Madrid: Football Weekly Extra – podcast

Arsenal got off to a flying start in their Carabao Cup semi-final first leg against Chelsea, but the Blues' new interim boss Liam Rosenior will be breathing a sigh of relief that it wasn't a complete drubbing. Despite losing 2-0 at Stamford Bridge, Rosenior's first home game as Chelsea manager was still a respectable effort.

However, for Manchester City fans, the evening was more about frustration than elation. The Citizens were on the wrong end of a 2-0 loss to Newcastle in a match that was dominated by controversy over VAR decisions. One particularly lengthy check left City players and pundits alike scratching their heads as much as anything the opposing team could have done.

On another front, Real Madrid are dealing with the aftermath of Xabi Alonso's departure from the club. The legendary midfielder announced his exit earlier this week, sending shockwaves through the Bernabeu. It remains to be seen how this change will affect the rest of the team.

The podcast also touched on the action from the Afcon semi-finals and answered some listener questions about football in general.
 
idk what's going on with city, they're so inconsistent atm 🤷‍♂️. 2-0 losses at home is a major concern for me, especially with that VAR controversy. it's like the ref was having a laugh or something 🤦‍♂️. on the other hand, arsenal's start to the cup semis looks good, but we'll see how they do in the next leg against chelsea 🔁. what's your take on city's struggles? are you a fan of the blues or just like watching them for the entertainment value 🤔
 
I'm still trying to figure out this VAR stuff 🤔... seems like it's supposed to help the game, but sometimes it just ends up causing more problems than it solves 🙄. The City fans must've been going mental when that VAR check took forever 😩. And what's with all these changes in the teams? It feels like every few weeks there's someone new coming or going and it's hard to keep track of who's who 🤷‍♂️. I just wish they could all focus on playing some good football instead of worrying about who's winning 😅.
 
🤔 you know what's crazy? these teams are puttin under so much pressure, like they're tryin to be perfect all the time... Arsenal got beat 2-0 but still managed to give it a good go, and Chelsea's new guy is just tryin to survive 🙅‍♂️. Manchester City fans on the other hand, are like "what even happened?!" 😩 VAR can be so messed up, I feel for them. And then there's Real Madrid, losin one of their best players... it's like, what's next? 🔥 life's unpredictable, teams rise and fall, but that's what makes it all interesting 🤯.
 
still gotta say arsenal was way more impressive than i thought they'd be, but 2-0 is a big gap to bridge against chelsea at home, especially with their new interim boss 🤔💡 Rosenior's gonna have to do some serious work to get chelsea back on track. and man, that var controversy over in the city game? what's going on? those checks are taking forever! 😩 2-0 losses are never fun for any team, but at least arsenal showed some promise 🤞
 
I'm still in shock over those VAR decisions for City vs Newcastle 🤯. I mean, it's one thing to disagree with a call, but come on! A whole minute of stoppage time just for that? It was like the referee was asking the players and staff to give up their sanity 😂. And honestly, who needs all those extra minutes when you're trying to make decisions fast enough? It's crazy how VAR can sometimes be more confusing than helpful 👎.

And speaking of confusion, I'm loving this new era for Arsenal with Martin Whitehead at the helm 🙌. Their performance against Chelsea was insane! Those guys were like a well-oiled machine out there 💪. But seriously, it'll be interesting to see how Rosenior adjusts to his new role after that result 🔮.

Real Madrid without Xabi Alonso? 😱 That's gonna take some getting used to. I mean, the dude was a legend for a reason 🙌. Let's hope they can find someone who fills those shoes (or should I say, boots?) 👟!
 
Ugh, VAR is like such a joke right now 🤣. I was watching that game with my mates and we were all going mental when they took so long to make that one call... like, what's the point of even having VAR if you're just gonna freeze the clock for ages? 😩 It's just so frustrating. And I feel bad for City fans, I know it's not like they're new to controversy but still 🤦‍♂️. Alonso's departure is a big blow too, I loved watching him play and he was such an iconic part of Real Madrid's history 💔. Can't wait to see who'll take his place though 😬.
 
omg i think it's so annoying when VAR is involved, like can't they just get it right for once?! 🙄 i was watching that manchester city game and i couldn't believe all those stoppages in play, it was like they were trying to make the opposing team look good lol. and real madrid is definitely feeling the loss of xabi alonso, he's such a legend! i wonder what the squad will do to adjust without him 🤔
 
I'm not buying all these VAR decisions 🙄... it's like they're making up rules as they go along. I mean, one minute City is being robbed of a goal, the next they're denying them a clear chance for an equalizer. It's just too much drama in football already. And don't even get me started on how slow the reviews are 🕰️... it's like watching paint dry! Can't we just trust our eyes and call it a day? 😂
 
Ugh, what's up with VAR decisions lately? Like, can't they just get it right for once?! 😒 I watched that Newcastle match and it was like they were trying to confuse City fans on purpose. One minute the ball's out of bounds, next minute it is? 🤯 And don't even get me started on the time-wasting tactics. It's like, come on guys, let's just finish the game already! ⏱️ Still, 2-0 loss for City stings, especially after looking so dominant at times. 💔 On a brighter note, I'm loving Arsenal's start to the Carabao Cup. Maybe we'll see some of that magic in the next leg against Chelsea 🤞
 
I'm still trying to process that Newcastle game 😱 Manchester City was so robbed by VAR, it's like they were blindfolded 🤦‍♂️. I mean, who needs all those replays to figure out if a goal is in or not? It just slows down the game and gets everyone frustrated 🔥. And poor Pep, he must be dying inside after that loss 💔. Can't say I blame him for being upset 😤. On a more positive note, Chelsea's new interim boss looks like he's got his work cut out for him 🙏, but hey, at least they didn't get thrashed 😅. And Real Madrid's loss of Xabi Alonso is huge, who's going to step up and fill that gap in the team? 💥
 
😂 come on city u guys got robbed like what was that var decision i cant even 🤯, 2 goals conceded from nothing, it's just not fair to the fans, Rosenior might be breathing a sigh of relief but i think he has his work cut out for him to turn this team around ⚽
 
I think it's crazy that VAR is still giving everyone so much grief 🙄. I mean, come on, guys! A 2-0 loss to Newcastle isn't the end of the world, but you can't just take away a goal because of a stupid VAR decision? It's just not fair to the teams and the fans 🤯. And what's with all these stoppages in play? Can't they just get on with it already?! 😩
 
🤔 I mean, what's going on with VAR? 🙄 One wrong call and you're beating yourself up over it, even when it's not entirely your fault. It's like, can't we just agree on a few basic rules already? 😩 Anyway, nice to see Arsenal getting off to a good start against Chelsea, but I'm still thinking City should've won that match. 🤷‍♂️ The length of those VAR checks was like, hello, it's football, not a science experiment! 💡
 
😂 Arsenal's 2-0 win is so sweet 🍫🏆, but Chelsea's loss isn't all bad 😐. Rosenior should be proud of his first game back 👏. Meanwhile, Manchester City's VAR drama is getting outta hand 🤯😡! It's like they're not even trying to play football anymore 🏃‍♂️. And Real Madrid's loss of Alonso is a big blow 💔. Can't wait for the Afcon finals to see which team will lift the trophy 🏆👀.
 
I'm loving the drama that's unfolding in the Premier League right now 🤯! The VAR controversy against Newcastle is just wild, I mean who needs that many checks to make a call? It's like they're trying to drive the players mad 😂. And on the other side, Arsenal and Chelsea are giving us some great football to watch. I'm not sure what's going on with Manchester City though, can't say I blame them for getting frustrated 🤷‍♂️.

And I feel bad for Real Madrid fans, losing Xabi Alonso is huge. He's a legend of the club, you know? I wonder who they'll bring in to fill his shoes 🤔. But hey, at least there's some great football to watch and talk about, that's what it's all about! 💪
 
omg did u see that game at Stamford Bridge? i mean arsenal got smashed but it's not like chelsea were expected to win or anything Liam Rosenior is defo doing a good job for his first game as boss 🤔

but man city's VAR issues are gettin crazy! i'm startin to think the refs are more confused than the players at times 😂 that one check took forever and it was like 'are we there yet?'... anyway, can't wait to see how madrid deals with xabi alonso's departure 🤝

anyway what do u guys think about the afcon semi-finals? did ur fave team make it through?
 
OMG, what's with all these VAR drama 🤯?! I mean, I get it, errors happen but come on! It's just so frustrating when you're watching a match and it feels like the ref is more interested in checking their phone than keeping an eye on the ball 📱. And can we please just sort out this whole VAR system already? It's been 2 seasons now and it still feels like they're making things up as they go along 🙄. And sorry Blues, 2-0 at home is no picnic 😬. Maybe Rosenior needs to sit back, rewatch some footage (with a clear head, btw), and figure out what went wrong before the next leg? 💡
 
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