The Athletic FC Tactics Podcast

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...

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 leag...

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 las...

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...

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...

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 adap...

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 thi...

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...

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 this episode, the Tactics Pod team launch a load of stats into your ears, so strap in. The Athletic’s Michael Cox, Thom Harris and Liam Tharme join Ali Maxwell to sift through forty five minutes of figures, including… Who is the fouliest footballer in the Premier League so far this season? Which side loves turning the opposition around at the coin toss? What is the biggest (statistical) problem...

The Athletic's Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme join host Ali Maxwell, to reflect on Jose Mourinho's fall from grace - 20 years on from winning the Champions League with Porto. Has modern club football left Mourinho behind. Do a younger generation of footballers tire of his methods too quickly and has he ever been a 'defensive' coach? Plus, why he is perfectly suited to international manage...

Since Arsenal were dumped out of the FA Cup, the prevailing 'narrative' has been their desperate need to sign a more clinical goalscorer in the January transfer window... But does a number 9 who could fulfil all the requirements of an Arsenal striker even exist? Host Ali Maxwell is joined by The Athletic's Michael Cox, Mark Carey & Liam Tharme - for their first podcast of 2024 - to explore the...

In this episode, we discuss the tactical trends of 2023. The Athletic’s Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme join Ali Maxwell to explore… First up, full backs and defenders moving into midfield. Inversions, actions and equal & opposite reactions are all covered here. Did the back three become an endangered species in 2023 and will wingbacks go the way of the Dodo in 2024? What were the big...

The Athletic's Michael Cox, Liam Tharme and Mark Carey join host Ali Maxwell to try and work out the best way to 'chase' a football match... Has modern football moved away from the stereotypical 'plan B' of earlier Premier League eras and how do teams like Liverpool, Arsenal and Newcastle keep finding late goals. Plus, how the role of the substitute might be evolving into a more specialist role an...

The Athletic's Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme join host Ali Maxwell to discuss penalties in football... Are there too many, are they too big a reward in the VAR era, or, is it in fact becoming more difficult to score? Plus, the best player in the Premier League at winning penalties, who sent the keeper the wrong way every time, are left-footers better than right-footers and if further rul...

In this episode, we discuss Michael Cox’s argument that Bernardo Silva is the best player in the Premier League. The Athletic’s Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme join Ali Maxwell to explore… First up, there’s a discussion and reflection on the managerial career of Terry Venables.  The former England and Barcelona manager passed away this week at the age of 80 after a long illness. Then, on t...

Both Manchester United and England's Lionesses face a crucial fortnight ahead under their respective Dutch coaches Erik ten Hag and Sarina Wiegman. To compare and contrast their styles Ali Maxwell is joined by The Athletic's Michael Cox, Liam Tharme and Charlotte Harpur to discuss their similar coaching identities and explore how much that is tied to their nation's football identity. The panel ana...

A collection of Europe’s major leagues have had surprise league leaders topping the tables this season. The Athletic’s Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Thom Harris join Ali Maxwell to explore… Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen. What do they do in and out of possession, how have their new signings settled in and can they sustain it to beat Bayern Munich to the Bundesliga? We also talk about an even bigger...

After Spurs and Man United suffered defeats in big games this week, where a red card (or two) was a big factor - The Athletic's Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme join host Ali Maxwell to debate the best ways for a manager to deal tactically with a sending off... Did Big Ange's surprisingly high defensive line make sense, can you stick with three-at-the-back and is it actually harder to play...

As Michael informs us - in the beginning - the beautiful game almost completely revolved around the art of 'dribbling'. So, as football continues to evolve tactically, how and why did we reach a point where many commentators are now asking: "Where have all the dribblers gone?" The Athletic's Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme join host Ali Maxwell to explore... Who are the best/worst dribbler...

Ali Maxwell is alongside The Athletic’s Liam Thame, Mark Carey and Michael Cox to explore the varying ‘peak’ performance of strikers, and whether it’s changing over time. From Robbie Fowler who ‘peaked’ aged 20, to Fabio Quagliarella who saved his best ’til 35, the panel dissect why players hit their prime at different ages, but ask if the way we classify ‘peak’ needs updating. Plus, can ones ‘pea...

Jude Bellingham's been described as a player 'who can do everything', so Ali Maxwell, challenged The Athletic's Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme to build the 'perfect' player... A left foot from Messi? As strong as Van Dijk? With Bernardo Silva's brain? Agree or disagree with our selections? Let us know in the comments. Produced by Adonis Pratsides Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for...

Ali Maxwell is alongside The Athletic's Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Duncan Alexander to explore the data behind David Beckham's incredible career - to discern just how good a player DB7 really was... The best crosser of the ball of all time? How accurate was the documentary? Our panel dissect the free-kicks, assists, goals and tactical roles to find out. Produced by Adonis Pratsides Hosted on Acas...

Ali Maxwell is joined by The Athletic's Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Duncan Alexander to look ahead to the first Premier League meeting between last season's Top 2: Man City and Arsenal... How often have head-to-head games between the eventual top two Premier League teams decided where the title ended up? And ahead of Man City's trip to Arsenal on Sunday, a tactical preview of where the game might...

Host Ali Maxwell is joined by The Athletic's Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme to assess the concept of 'Ewing Theory' - the idea that any team can lose their star player and actually improve? How is this playing out in the Premier League so far this season, at Spurs after Kane... but also at West Ham after Declan Rice, Crystal Palace after Zaha and Brentford without Toney too? And can you b...