Talking Tactics

Talking Tactics discuss Mourinho’s press conference. Have Hope ponders the meaning of “great.” From the mailbag: Is calling Mohamed Salah the “best African player in Premier League history” going too far? Nigeria’s best player? Who is going through in the UCL quarter-final? Is Sergio Ramos one of the best defenders ever? What makes a good manager? Can Lukaku match Drogba? The NBA play-offs and our...

Talking Tactics discuss Tottenham’s comeback without Harry Kane. Chelsea starting Giroud vs Barcelona? Chaos at West Ham. Manchester United beating Liverpool 2-1. Mourinho flaming Frank de Boer. Jamie Carragher’s spitting episode, and should he be sacked? Any guaranteed Germany starters. How good is Mbappe? Will Neymar ever leave PSG for Real Madrid? How good were we at football growing up? Champi...

Talking Tactics discuss Manchester City beating Chelsea 1-0. Antonio Conte's interesting approach to the game. Whether he should leave he club now or later. Arsenal have lost four straight games, is that enough to get Arsene Wenger out of office? Can protests even work? What is the best France XI? Why football films are usually trash, and the news of N'Golo Kante's fainting episode led to us to th...

Talking Tactics are joined by NiiNii FC (of BlueLionsTV) to discuss Manchester United beating Chelsea 2-1 at Old Trafford. What happened to Morata? Is Conte the right man for Chelsea? Has Lukaku shown signs of progress? What is the False 9? Manchester City destroyed Arsenal in the League Cup final. Ederson or Courtois? Why was Diego Costa sold to Atletico Madrid? Dele Alli and Harry Kane are divin...

Talking Tactics discuss Chelsea vs. Barcelona, are England back in the Champions League? Should Porto be banned? Drogba or Henry in a final? West Brom players take a taxi? The worst striker in Premier League history. Messi or Maradona? Would the best left-footed XI beat the best right-footed XI? Can Arsenal beat Manchester City in the League Cup final? Favourite Liverpool players. How should Engla...

Talking Tactics discuss Tottenham beating Arsenal in the North London Derby, Manchester United losing to Newcastle United, the Champions League returns with two big fixtures (Juventus v Tottenham & Real Madrid v Paris Saint-Germain), Chelsea beat West Brom, the relegation battle is tight, Mario Balotelli was subject to racist abuse in France, and after answering your questions, Carl gives some rec...

Talking Tactics discuss Liverpool 2-2 Tottenham. Which goal was better: Wanyama or Salah? Should referees do better and/or should players be better at gamesmanship? Is Harry Kane world class? Chelsea were struggling to beat Watford, we watched up until 3-1: Is Conte the man to take Chelsea forward? What's happened to Inter Milan? Is Tom Brady the GOAT? Who are the franchise players of Europe's top...

Talking Tactics discuss Benzema's form (05:27). Is spitting worse than a bad tackle (09:54)? Aubameyang to Arsenal, Giroud to Chelsea, and Batshuayi to Dortmund (15:30)? Will Kane stay at Tottenham (30:52)? The stupidity of third-place games (31:58). Tottenham’s trophy cabinet / Will Wenger win a League Cup (36:33)? Dream games (39:20). Nike being lazy (42:21). Should referees be more strict (47:4...

Talking Tactics discuss the Alexis Sanchez to Manchester United, Henrikh Mkhitaryan to Arsenal swap deal. What happens if Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang goes to Arsenal, and how good is he (12:55)? Who got the better deal (23:15)? Chelsea's odd striker search (29:17). Marco Silva sacked as Watford manager (39:43). Why are old professionals so salty (46:18)? Can Paris Saint-Germain beat Real Madrid (51:...

Talking Tactics are joined by Greg Johnson (of Football. London) to discuss Liverpool giving Man City their first EPL loss. How good is Roberto Firmino (15:50)? Are people overreacting to City’s loss (20:23)? How would Man United buying Alexis Sanchez affect their attack (23:55)? Real Madrid are 19 points behind Barcelona (32:14)! Zidane or Iniesta (39:22)? The FA implement the “Rooney Rule” (40:1...

Talking Tactics discuss our big predictions for 2018. Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona for £142m (20:00). How many matches do we watch (38:17)? Someone wants to talk about Serie A (40:57). Sunderland are trash (44:29). Are English referees poor (47:02)? Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte are at war, we're here for it (50:38). Brick Academy update (58:05), recommended reads (1:01:40) and heroes and vill...

Talking Tactics discuss Antoine Griezmann dressing in blackface, can ignorance be an excuse for racism? Could this affect Griezmann and the French national team? Accepting Manchester City have won the Premier League: Will they go undefeated and break the EPL’s goals, points and wins records? Should Dele Alli be suspended? The most “overrated” team in the EPL era, tackle various other topics, fanta...

Talking Tactics discuss Manchester United 1-2 Manchester City, Have Hope divorcing Jose Mourinho, can Manchester City go invincible? Why isn’t Romelu Lukaku working? Ederson showering Mourinho with milk, what’s wrong with Christian Benteke? UCL Round of 16 draw reaction, should the EPL play outside England? More explanation on Have Hope’s horsemen, with other topics / questions tackled in-between....

Talking Tactics discuss why UEFA and the Premier League make us criminals, preview Bayern Munich vs. PSG in the Champions League, Mark Clattenburg comments on Chelsea vs. Tottenham game, Manchester United beat Arsenal 3-1, should Pogba have been sent off? Stop calling Koscielny world-class. Is Lacazette better than Lukaku? Is De Gea the world’s best goalkeeper? Can Man United beat Manchester City...

Talking Tactics discuss the 2018 World Cup draw. Why do these things take so long? A group-by-group discussion, favourites for the knock-out stages and various other conversations surrounding next year's World Cup in Russia. Rate us five stars on Apple Podcasts! http://getpodcast.reviews/id/1127264410 Follow Talking Tactics https://twitter.com/TaIkingTactics Follow us https://twitter.com/HaveHopeH...

Talking Tactics discuss Liverpool 1-1 Chelsea, why Bakayoko hasn’t been great, Mohamed Salah’s blossoming, who is Africa’s best player? Manchester City keep winning, how good could Raheem Sterling be without Guardiola? Manchester United play Martial and Rashford together, will it last? Real Madrid closing ground on Barcelona, does Ligue 1 hold PSG back? How long before Dortmund sack Peter Boaz? Va...

Talking Tactics discuss Arsenal beating Tottenham Hotspur 2-0, why can't Arsenal replicate these performances every week, are Martial and Rashford similar, who is better Hazard or De Bruyne, should Buffon have sat out for Juventus, Adebayor's comments on Arsenal's softness, various other topics, some listener questions, heroes/villains of the week and recommended reads. Rate us five stars on Apple...

Talking Tactics discuss Italy missing the 2018 World Cup, is it a blessing in disguise? Should Zlatan go to Russia? What has happened to the art of defending? Will the US ever win a World Cup? Why haven’t the Netherlands won a World Cup? Should Gareth Bale leave Real Madrid? Will Mourinho to PSG happen? Does Cristiano infringe on Ronaldo’s legend? David Beckham hate speech, why making XIs sucks, o...

Talking Tactics discuss Chelsea beating Manchester United 1-0, Jose Mourinho’s tactical approach, Paul Pogba’s absence, Arsene Wenger’s arrogance in Arsenal’s 3-1 loss to Manchester City. Can Man City be caught? Why would anyone hire David Moyes? Are EPL teams back in Europe? Which Premier League club is deepest? Chelsea accepting Michael Emenalo’s resignation, various other topics, heroes/villain...

Talking Tactics discuss the Premier League's "Top 6" finally being the table's Top 6, whether any other club could break that stronghold, will any of the Top 6 managers be sacked, which mid-table clubs are best suited to challenge, England's victory in the U17 World Cup, why youth development in England is challenging, why Tottenham aren’t quite ready to win, various other topics, heroes/villains...

Talking Tactics discuss Tottenham thrashing a bad Liverpool, Manchester United’s loss to Huddersfield, Mourinho being Mourinho, Chelsea’s comeback against Watford, Everton sacking Ronald Koeman, Have Hope's rant on FIFA awards, listener questions, Eni Aluko’s vindication vs. the FA, racism in English culture/football, various other topics, heroes/villains of the week and some recommended reads. Ra...

Talking Tactics are joined by Paul Ansorge (from Bleacher Report/United Rant) and discuss Manchester United’s 0-0 draw with Liverpool, Mourinho’s tactical approach in big games, Manchester City destroying the Premier League, Chelsea and Arsenal’s shock losses, what does the World Cup really mean, preview the upcoming Champions League matches, various other topics, heroes and villains, recommended...

Talking Tactics discuss Lionel Messi and Argentina’s World Cup qualification, how many teams each continent should get, which players we will miss at the 2018 World Cup, would Premier League players protesting social issues work in England, Manchester United vs. Liverpool, has Klopp been successful, can Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal win next summer, various other topics, heroes and villains, reco...

Talking Tactics discuss Manchester City beating Chelsea 1-0, whether a Manchester or London club will win the Premier League, Harry Kane’s September goalscoring spree, great Italian defenders, more important: good tactics or good philosophy, the aftermath of Bayern Munich sacking Carlo Ancelotti, Barcelona playing behind closed doors, Catalan independence, various other topics, heroes and villains...

Talking Tactics discuss Bayern Munich sacking Carlo Ancelotti (and a little bit on the NFL, protests and Colin Kaepernick). This is an emergency communication; we’ll be back on our regular Tuesday to talk about this development with more polish, as well as breakdown whatever football offers us over the weekend. Rate us five stars on Apple Podcasts! http://getpodcast.reviews/id/1127264410 Follow Ta...