The Double Pivot: Soccer analysis, analytics, and commentary

A lot has changed since we last covered the top teams in Europe. We take on the teams playing this week in the Champions League, including PSG's injury problems, how far Barcelona have rebounded, the peculiar new Leipzig system, Ronaldo's new/old role, and more.  Support the show

The Premier League top four race keeps being the story because it keeps changing! Why the table is still lying, why Liverpool and Chelsea haven't put it away yet, what Tuchel is up to, and which underdogs still have a shot. Support the show

That was very nearly another fascinating Spurs-Liverpool match and we get into the first 20 minutes before Kane's injury more or less put it to bed. And right now the top four race is as open as it's ever been, what's up with that? Support the show

Over at patreon.com/doublepivot you can get our subscription level player profiles beginning with Martin Ødegaard and Papu Gomez, and continuing through the week with more every day. And there is even a special deal, 15 percent off when you subscribe for a year so check it out. Support the show

Frank Lampard appears to be on the way out at Chelsea. We look back at his time at Chelsea and consider what we got right and what we got wrong, and we talk a bit about the state of research on analytics about managers -- do they really matter? Support the show

We take a spin around the entire Premier League and answer your (or our) burning questions on each club. Starting with the meaning of Arsenal's recent good results and what we got wrong about Sheffield United, and continuing through Mo Salah's production decline, what Spurs need from the transfer market, the very very badness of West Brom and more. Support the show

We got us a Premier League title race but uhhhhh City are going to win it now? We talk about Liverpool's collapse-that-is-not-a-collapse, Pep's transformation of Man City, Frank and the Chelsea game, and the chance of an upset title winner. Support the show

We keep it rolling! Not too many interesting games but a fascinating pile-up in the top four and title races and we walk through what's going on with Chelsea, City, Villa, Spurs, United, Leicester and Everton.  Support the show

We have so many games, so much going on, we got more of your questions on Chelsea and Liverpool who may determine their place in the title race in the next week, and also a bunch of midtable questions because Leeds, Arsenal and Brighton are just fascinating. Support the show

We take a lot of your questions and get technical right off the bat, with discussions of data collection and "post-shot xG" leading into some talk about City, Grealish, Brighton and Chelsea.  Support the show

We had a big week of Champions League and we're starting to get a sense of who are the favorites to win the trophy. So we start with the North London Derby and then begin our tour around the best teams in Europe. Support the show

Do we have a better sense of who's going to win the Premier League title? Maybe a little? Spurs-Chelsea analysis, how much are Liverpool favored by, how close are City, and is there anyone else.... maybe? Support the show

A Mourinho Masterclass from Spurs, what does it mean? Why are we feeling so sure that Jurgen Klopp is the best manager in the world right now? And what is Mikel Arteta doing? Support the show

Our listeners can have a little USMNT analysis, as a treat. And then on to more of your questions, including discussions of Gareth Bale, Roberto Firmino, Diogo Jota and the importance of the "utility player". Support the show

We take your questions on Liverpool, penalties, Barcelona, Mason Mount, Southampton, Yunus Musah and more! Support the show

We still don't understand what's happening in football. We bounce a few questions off each other -- Juventus, Barcelona, Tottenham, Everton and Manchester United, what's going on? Support the show

The Premier League table is strange right now, but unlike what you'd expect when the table is weird after five matches, it's not *lying*. It's just weird. We walk through the teams that we still expect to be good but have questions about, the teams we're reasonably convinced are now good, and the teams we're starting to give up on. Support the show

There's a plan to bail out and massively reorganize English club football, and it's both a fascinating document chock full of good ideas and a total scam. We break it down! And then we try to sort out what Arsenal are doing and how bad it's likely to get. Support the show

What a weekend! The Premier League continues to delight and confuse and we try to sort out as best as we can what happened in Saturday's matches -- in particular the strange patterns of Leeds vs Man City -- and look at what we can draw from Everton's continuing dominance, Chelsea looking competent, and Manchester City... what. Support the show

So much is happening in the PL that isn't what we expected. In part one of the pod here on the free side, we look at the hot starts by Leicester, Everton, Brighton and Liverpool (ok we expected that last one) and consider what's gone wrong early at Manchester City.  Support the show

Mike and Michael look at the hottest narratives of the first week or two -- Everton, Palace, Arsenal, Leicester, Weston McKennie and more -- and ask, "is this anything?" How much can we have really learned from 180 minutes of football? In most cases, of course, not that much, but there are real trends to take a look at. Support the show

Leeds and Liverpool played a classic and (parts of) the popular narrative about it are more right than the shot stats might suggest. Arsenal were good and Chelsea were bad but does it mean anything? Oh yeah and Everton - Spurs.  Support the show

It's that time again! A new Premier League season kicking off and we preview all 20 teams and try our best to stuff it into two hours. Here's the first hour! Support the show

The Premier League season is almost upon us, and we've seen very different strategies so far from the teams we'd rate 3rd to 9th in the Premier League as they approach another run at the Champions League places. Who's doing it right, Everton or Spurs, Wolves or Leicester, Arsenal or United? We break it down. (Chelsea... Chelsea's fine.) Support the show

Goodman and Caley walk through a tactically fascinating but sadly short of actually great Champions League Final and appreciate how Bayern replaced Arjen Robben with Serge Gnabry and became the best team in the world again. Then they turn to Everton, a team with no plan that will probably be good and fun anyway. Support the show