This week, we bring you our first, long-awaited listener mailbag! You’ve been sending in some excellent questions and ideas since we came back for the new season — and now is the time for us to discuss them!  So, the topics on today’s agenda include: Angeball 2.0, the new No.10 role and tactical revolutions at smaller clubs. Host: Michael Bailey With: Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme  Producer: Mike...

This week, we’re focusing on the world of football data and whether it’s had the profound impact on the game — on and off the pitch — that everyone thinks it has. So, has data actually changed football? Host: Michael Bailey With: Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme  Producer: Mike Stavrou https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5756088/2024/09/11/how-has-data-changed-football/ https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5697684/2024/09/03/football-analytics-uk-evolution/ Learn more about your ad...

This week, Michael Cox’s excellent article on the evolution of Mohamed Salah into a creative force got our minds whirring. How do elite players alter their style and approach, as they reach the latter stages of their careers? Host: Michael Bailey With: Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Ahmed Walid Producer: Mike Stavrou Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chelsea’s somewhat chaotic attempt at squad building got us thinking about how best to actually go about assembling a Premier League squad. Matt Davies-Adams and the panel try to find some answers. Host: Matt Davies-Adams With: Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme  Producer: Mike Stavrou Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One week into 2024/25, we’re attempting to circumnavigate the knee-jerk and catch the tactical teething problems. We look at how the top teams fared and what transfers are still needed, plus various Premier League strikers. Host: Michael Bailey  With: Michael Cox, Thom Harris and Liam Tharme  Producer: Mike Stavrou Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s part two of our own Premier League preview ahead of the 2024-25 season — where we look at the tactical conundrums facing each team in the English top flight. Last week, our groupings were… title contenders, dark horses and surprise packages. If you don’t know who we shoehorned into each of those, then go have a listen back. This week we have… European hopefuls, relegation candidates and the best of the rest. Host: Michael Bailey With: Mark Carey, Michael Cox and Thom Harris Producer:...

On this first episode of the new season, we are previewing the upcoming 2024/2025 Premier League campaign - with a particular focus on the tactical conundrums facing each team. We’ll split this into two parts - covering 10 teams this week and the rest on our next show. This week, we look at the title contenders, dark horses and surprise packages. Host: Michael Bailey With: Mark Carey, Duncan Alexander and Thom Harris Producer: Mike Stavrou Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...

In this episode, The Athletic’s Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme join Ali Maxwell to talk about why this Premier League season has had an unbelievable number of goals. The number of goals being scored in the top division of English men’s football is at its highest rate since the 1960s. But what has caused this? Are goalkeepers not as good as they used to be at keeping the ball out of the net? What has VAR done to the game in the context of goals given or denied? And are players...

In this episode, The Athletic’s Michael Cox and Mark Carey join Ali Maxwell to put together an alternative team of the season from the 23/24 Premier League. Mark and Michael are allowed to choose one player from each of the teams in the bottom half of the Premier League to make up their side. The mathematically minded amongst you will clock that only gives them eleven players, so from one team they get two picks. This episode really illustrates the truth held within that famous internet...

In this episode, The Athletic’s Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme join Ali Maxwell to discuss the final stages of this season’s Champions League in men’s football. Real Madrid came from behind in the dying minutes to knock out Bayern Munich and further cement their pedigree in this competition. Borussia Dortmund ensured their surprising run this season continued by securing a second consecutive 1-0 win over Paris St Germain to take the semi-final 2-0 on aggregate. Then, we look ahead...

In this episode, The Athletic’s Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme join Ali Maxwell to discuss how Liverpool can ensure a smooth succession from Arne Slot to Jurgen Klopp. We look at how well suited his style of play and personality are for taking on one of the biggest jobs in club football. And how well set up Liverpool are as a club to move on from such a legendary manager? Then, we look to the past to see if we can learn much about the future.  Can Liverpool learn anything from...

In this episode, The Athletic’s Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme join Ali Maxwell to discuss which leagues are the most competitive in Europe. We cast our eyes across Europe’s top five leagues, and then beyond them into the top twenty leagues across the continent, including some second tiers… What matters most when measuring what makes a competitive league?  Is it the finance or the depth of talent in each league year on year? Or is it how well spread both of those things are across...

In this episode, The Athletic’s Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme join Ali Maxwell to reflect on the Champions League quarter finals; which concluded this week. First up, Bayern Munich let their experience show by knocking out Arsenal 3-2 on aggregate at the Allianz Arena. We then head to Manchester as reigning European champions Manchester City failed to retain their crown as they were knocked out on penalties by the perennial Kings of Europe Real Madrid.  We also assess Paris St...

In this episode, The Athletic’s Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme join Ali Maxwell to reflect on the halfway point of the Champions League quarter finals; and what to look out for when those ties conclude next week. First up, it’s Arsenal and Bayern Munich sharing the first leg spoils by drawing 2-2 in North London. We then head to Madrid and rule the rule over the incredible 3-3 draw between Real Madrid and reigning European champions Manchester City.  Our third stop is Paris to...

In this episode, The Athletic’s Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme join Ali Maxwell to take a look at where the Premier League title contenders may drop precious points. Firstly, we run the rule over the final clash between the pretenders to the crown this season.  Was Man City vs Arsenal just really boring or were there some “tactically intriguing” aspects? The title race remains as tight as it was when we last cast our eye over it in detail five episodes ago.  But what’s changed...

In this episode, The Athletic’s Jay Harris, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme join Ali Maxwell to take a look at specialist coaches. From set pieces to subs to sleep and scran, elite football teams are constantly on the lookout for ways to make improvements. One thing you will learn is why they’re NOT making marginal gains… So which specialist coaching jobs have gone from niche to mainstream?  How do you measure success when a coaching role is completely brand new? And what role may be the next...

In this episode, The Athletic’s Mark Carey, Liam Tharme and Jon Mackenzie join Ali Maxwell to do a deep dive into Internazionale. Simone Inzaghi’s side are dominating Serie A in every sense of the word.  They have a bigger lead at this stage of the season than runaway leaders Napoli had last time out and at time of recording they have the best defensive record of any team in Europe’s top five leagues. So what makes them so good? What do they do that very few, if any, other teams do at the...

In this episode, The Athletic’s Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme join Ali Maxwell to reflect on the Champions League last 16. Manchester City, Real Madrid, Arsenal, Bayern Munich, PSG, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund make up the 2024 Champions League quarter finals. So what shape are the last eight in Europe’s elite competition in?  Which individual players shone in the last 16? And how has the first knockout round changed who we think the favourites are to win the...

In this episode, The Athletic’s Michael Cox, Duncan Alexander and Liam Tharme join Ali Maxwell to reflect on one of the Premier League’s great managerial rivalries. Pep Guardiola's final tactical tussle with Jurgen Klopp, in the Premier League at least, is this weekend.  We look at their individual influences on the English game since they arrived and how they’ve influenced each other too. But who has struggled the most against the other: Pep vs Klopp, or vice versa? And will we ever see...

In this episode, The Athletic’s Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme join Ali Maxwell break down what is potentially the most exciting title race for years. At time of recording, two points separate three teams at the top of the Premier League. We’ve scoured over the three title contenders to see if we can scientifically suss out who’ll be crowned Premier League champions in May. Will it be Man City, Liverpool or Arsenal? And which small details could cause delight or downfall for each...

In this episode, The Athletic’s Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme join Ali Maxwell to ask whether modern football teams actually want superstars anymore? Kylian Mbappé is leaving Paris Saint-Germain in the summer but, whisper it quietly; will they be a better team without him? How have Tottenham Hotspur adapted to the loss of their star man Harry Kane?  And how Have Bayern Munich had to adapt to having him? Also, is tournament football, at club and international level; the last...

In this episode, The Athletic’s Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme join Ali Maxwell to give an overview of the runners and riders as the Champions League enters the last 16. Will anyone be able to stop Manchester City from retaining their crown? Should Bayern Munich be amongst the favourites considering their recent blunders in the Bundesliga? And is a dark horse going to ride to glory in this year’s competition? Produced by Steve Hankey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...

In this episode, The Athletic’s Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme join Ali Maxwell to discuss how to take on the elite teams. Should teams adapt their style against the big boys to try and get a result, or try to play the way they want to regardless of opposition? Who has been most effective against the elite teams in the Premier League this season? And what about when elite teams play each other? Produced by Steve Hankey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, The Athletic’s Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme join Ali Maxwell to discuss the tactical differences between the two eras of Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool tenure. We’re broadly speaking splitting Klopp’s teams into the 2019 - 21 side as “Liverpool 1.0” and looking at this current iteration as “Liverpool 2.0” What were peak Klopp Liverpool tactically? What has and hasn’t changed in the transition to this new team? And what kind of a squad is he leaving for whoever...