The Athletic FC Tactics Podcast

The Athletic FC Tactics Podcast: Have Arsenal built the Premier League’s best ever defence? This week - we’re asking if defence really wins you titles.Should you build your team around a solid defence — or a free-flowing attack?Host: Michael BaileyWith: Michael Cox, Duncan Alexander a...

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Does defence really win titles?

@zonal-marking.bsky.social @oilysailor.bsky.social @liamtharme.bsky.social join @michaeljbailey.bsky.social to discuss!

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The Athletic FC Tactics Podcast: Why are defensive midfielders scoring so many goals? This week, we’re tackling the defensive midfield position.How has it evolved, who does it best and why are they suddenly scoring loads of goals?Host: Michael BaileyWith: Michael Cox and Mark Care...

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How has the defensive midfield position evolved?

Who does it best?

Why are they suddenly scoring loads of goals?

@zonal-marking.bsky.social @markcarey93.bsky.social & @michaeljbailey.bsky.social discuss.

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Great piece from @zonal-marking.bsky.social

Why the five-substitute era has not been good for football Lawmakers have completely overlooked the impact of introducing extra substitutes: it increases the tempo of the game and increases fatigue

The use of five substitutes has had no positive impact, and probably some bad impact www.nytimes.com/athletic/676...

The Athletic FC Tactics Podcast: How to fix Liverpool The defending Premier League champions have lost four league matches in a row.So, where is it going wrong for Arne Slot’s Liverpool — and crucially, how do they fix their issues?Host: Michael B...

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Four Premier League losses in a row — seven points shy of league leaders Arsenal after nine matches.

How do Liverpool fix their tactical issues?

@zonal-marking.bsky.social, @markcarey93.bsky.social @liamtharme.bsky.social, @michaeljbailey.bsky.social

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Is it going to get better, or does something drastic need to change?

Slot is trying to adapt to a post-Salah world with Salah still in the team which in the short term is causing problems.
The many new faces also bring difficulties but some of them couldn't be avoided (Diaz/TAA wanting to leave, Jota). One mistake though was not buying Robertson replacement in 2024.

Pretty basic question.What's gone wrong?
They can't break deep defences, get countered a lot and their shape looks bad when defending them, they concede from long throws and set pieces almost every match.
Slots' use of his squad is confusing. I thought the summer signings were part of a big plan?

On tomorrow's pod, we're talking Liverpool.

Send in your questions/thoughts for @zonal-marking.bsky.social, @liamtharme.bsky.social & @markcarey93.bsky.social

Keep us posted!

The Athletic FC Tactics Podcast: A guide to the 4-4-2 formation This season there have been zero instances of teams starting with a 4-4-2 in the Premier League. In the late 2000s the majority of teams lined up in a 4-4-2 - but since then, that figure has been ...

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A guide to the 4-4-2 formation.

Strengths 💪
Weaknesses 😐

With @zonal-marking.bsky.social, @markcarey93.bsky.social, @liamtharme.bsky.social & @michaeljbailey.bsky.social

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The Athletic FC Tactics Podcast: Gundogan interview: Klopp vs Guardiola, Man City's treble & more Iconic former Manchester City midfielder İlkay Gündoğan sat down with The Athletic's Jordan Campbell to discuss playing under Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp, City's treble-winning team and his f...

ICYMI

A special interview with İlkay Gündoğan.

The iconic former Manchester City midfielder at down with The Athletic's Jordan Campbell to discuss playing under Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp, City's treble-winning team and more!

Don't miss it!

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The Athletic FC Tactics Podcast: Does Jude Bellingham get into England's best side? Thomas Tuchel’s England team selection for the wins over Wales and Latvia got us thinking about star players and their value.Phil Foden, Jude Bellingham and Jack Grealish were left out of the squ...

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@zonal-marking.bsky.social @liamtharme.bsky.social & @markcarey93.bsky.social join @michaeljbailey.bsky.social to chat star players and their value.

So is it system first, or stars first? 🤔

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YouTube video by Virais da Internet Benfica 5-0 Vitória de Guimarães (2-0) Raúl Jiménez 16' (Liga NOS)

@markcarey93.bsky.social @oilysailor.bsky.social @zonal-marking.bsky.social Loved the pod - in case you’ve never seen this enormous launch from Ederson to Raul Jimenez when they were playing together for Benfica, here it is: youtu.be/Iud-CdPbAhs?...

The Athletic FC Tactics Podcast: Why goalkeepers are going long Today we’re discussing the evolution of goalkeeper distribution. Are teams actually going long more often, and how is it changing the game?Host: Duncan Alexander With: Michael Cox and Mark Care...

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Why are goalkeepers going long this season?

What's happened to the long throw?

Duncan (@oilysailor.bsky.social) is joined by Michael (@zonal-marking.bsky.social) and Mark (@markcarey93.bsky.social) to discuss!

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The Athletic FC Tactics Podcast: Why the promoted sides are so much better this season Today we tackle the Premier League’s promoted clubs – who collectively, so far this season, are flying. How are they doing it and more importantly, can they sustain it?Host: Michael BaileyWith...

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Why are the promoted sides better this season?

@zonal-marking.bsky.social @liamtharme.bsky.social @markcarey93.bsky.social & @michaeljbailey.bsky.social have the answers!

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Great spot! Hope you enjoyed the pod 🤝

I look forward to this episode but also Pep has never been a Pepist

The Athletic FC Tactics Podcast: Has Guardiola actually changed his philosophy? Pep Guardiola’s defensive tactics in Manchester City’s Premier League draw at Arsenal last weekend caused quite the stir.Was it a one off? Or has Guardiola’s philosophy been slowly changing i...

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Has Pep Guardiola really changed, or was the match against Arsenal an anomaly?

@zonal-marking.bsky.social @markcarey93.bsky.social @liamtharme.bsky.social join @michaeljbailey.bsky.social to discuss!

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On tomorrow's pod we'll be asking if Pep Guardiola has actually changed Man City's approach this season.

How different does this City team look compared to 2016-17?

Send your questions for the panel!

Mikel Arteta versus Pep Guardiola has become a boring battle of overwhelming caution The Arsenal manager and his Manchester City counterpart appear to be finding new ways to create dull games. Where is the ambition?

an article on GuardiolAI and ChatGPTeta's latest attempt to remove any hint of human creativity from their meetings
www.nytimes.com/athletic/665...

The Athletic FC Tactics Podcast: Why has this season started so slowly? There were a mere 19 goals across 20 games in the Premier League last weekend.Which got us thinking — why so few? And is it partly to do with the influx of new signings creating unfamiliarity and...

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Why has this Premier League season started so slowly?

@zonal-marking.bsky.social, @liamtharme.bsky.social & @markcarey93.bsky.social join @michaeljbailey.bsky.social to discuss.

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Pod tomorrow on this very subject.

Any questions for the panel?

@zonal-marking.bsky.social @markcarey93.bsky.social @liamtharme.bsky.social

Lots of signings, not many goals: Why most Premier League sides are yet to click The quality of attacking football this season has been way down on previous campaigns, but new players need to time to settle

Lots of new signings - not many goals. It's quite tough to get cohesion between new attackers at this stage of the season, and watching some really quite bad Premier League games so far underlines that.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/663...

Arsenal are the "gold standard" for pressing, according to @markcarey93.bsky.social

Listen to our full pod on pressing 101.

Video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UJt...

Audio: pod.fo/e/32ac79

YouTube video by The Athletic FC Podcast Why Arsenal and PSG are so good at pressing

NEW MONDAY POD DROP 🚨

We rotate the squad, with @oilysailor.bsky.social joined by @markcarey93.bsky.social & @liamtharme.bsky.social to talk pressing.

The best structures, who does it best, who does it worst?

Video here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UJt...

Audio: pod.fo/e/32ac79

Here's @liamtharme.bsky.social on PSG's pressing tweak from last season.

Their Champions League campaign gets underway tomorrow night!

Full episode: www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UJt...

pod.fo/e/32ac79

YouTube video by The Athletic FC Podcast Why Arsenal and PSG are so good at pressing

NEW MONDAY POD DROP 🚨

We rotate the squad, with @oilysailor.bsky.social joined by @markcarey93.bsky.social & @liamtharme.bsky.social to talk pressing.

The best structures, who does it best, who does it worst?

Video here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UJt...

Audio: pod.fo/e/32ac79

Just interested to know what platforms our listeners are using!

The Athletic FC Tactics Podcast: Mavericks, Donnarumma & are Arsenal too cautious? It’s the international break in men’s football and that means only one thing… mailbag time!We’re going to answer your questions on all sorts — iPads, subs, mavericks and more!Host: Michae...

NEW MAILBAG POD 🚨

@michaeljbailey.bsky.social @zonal-marking.bsky.social @liamtharme.bsky.social & @markcarey93.bsky.social answer your questions on...

- Maverick players
- Donnarumma to City
- Are Arsenal too cautious?

& much, much more!

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