The Athletic FC Tactics Podcast

The Athletic's Michael Cox and Mark Carey join host Ali Maxwell to explore the shortlist for this season's Premier League Manager of the Season... How the award should be judged, who else deserved a nomination and should we be able to use underlying metrics to make a better case for some of them.Is Thomas Frank the best pound-for-pound boss (literally ££), should Eddie Howe even be eligible and has David Moyes become a victim of his recent success? Plus, whether or not it's still too soon to judge Vieira at Palace, if Klopp's incredible cup runs count, does a 'new manager bounce' actually exist and what the numbers can tell us about Antonio Conte and Mikel Arteta's respective progress. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Athletic's Michael Cox and Mark Carey join host Ali Maxwell to preview the FA Cup final between Tuchel's Chelsea and Klopp's Liverpool. Our panel explore the key tactical battles, possible team selection and analyse two unorthodox number 9's, in Sadio Mane and Kai Havertz, who will be expected to lead the line for their respective clubs on Saturday...Plus, why Tuchel has failed to find 'balance' in the final third, why Salah has struggled against Rudiger in previous meetings and why Chelsea will have paid close attention to the way Conte's Spurs frustrated Liverpool last weekend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Athletic's Michael Cox and Mark Carey join host Ali Maxwell to take a closer look at Carlo Ancelotti's managerial career, after he became the first manager to win all five big European league titles...Sounds great... but should he have won more? The panel explore the common tactical themes of his title-winning teams, why Michael thought his fourth title would be his last, how he is perceived by supporters and big players and ultimately, whether he should have won a lot more!Plus, an all-time Carlo XI to die for. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

All goals are worth the same, or are they?The Athletic's Michael Cox and Mark Carey join host Ali Maxwell to try and work out whether it's possible to accurately measure the true value of a goal, and try to find out which players score the most valuable goals.Taking our lead from Mark's recent piece on the subject, we delve into the data to look at the likes of Didier Drogba, Christian Benteke, Richarlison and Christian Eriksen as we attempt to work out why certain players appear more capable of delivering in the big moments than other more renowned goalscorers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Athletic's Michael Cox and Mark Carey join host Ali Maxwell to explore the recent tactical battles between Liverpool and Manchester City and the questions both Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp will face, if both sides reach this season's Champions League Final...Why Zack Steffen's FA Cup semi-final-freeze was predictable, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joao Cancelo's impact in the 2-2 draw at the Etihad. Plus, Jesus over Mahrez, Keita or Henderson and whether it's too soon to write this off as the greatest rivalry in English football history? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Athletic's Michael Cox and Mark Carey join host Ali Maxwell to explore what Manchester United fans can expect, should Erik ten Hag become their next permanent manager...The panel analyse the tactical system employed by Ajax in the Champions League and why he wouldn't necessarily be able to just copy and paste at Old Trafford. Plus, wingers doubling up on the same flank, left-footed vacancies in the current squad, whether they will finally sign a defensive midfielder and what his arrival could mean for likes of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Harry Maguire and Cristiano Ronaldo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Athletic's Michael Cox and Mark Carey join host Ali Maxwell to explore the art of (and the data behind) Free-Kicks... The best and worst FK takers in Premier League history, the cult-heroes, the myths and why the 'knuckle-ball' isn't as good as the 'whip n' dip'.Why James Ward-Prowse is an even better free-kick taker than you already thought, whether or not you actually need a wall, plus, Watford's unwanted record and the ambidextrous exploits of Salernitana's Simone Verdi. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Athletic's Michael Cox and John Muller join host Ali Maxwell to assess Xavi's impact at Barcelona, since returning as Head Coach... But was the club's 'crisis' slightly overplayed and how do Xavi's team differ to the ones he played in?Plus, the trio celebrate Pique's long-passing, Busquets longevity and the shift in the physical profile of their newest signings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Athletic's Michael Cox and Mark Carey join host Ali Maxwell, to run the numbers of Gareth Southgate's latest England squad... Will Southgate alter his formation to accommodate the wealth of attacking talent? Mings over Tomori, justifying the omissions of Sancho and Rashford, plus, who starts in goal in Qatar? Our trio shine a light on England ahead of this year's Winter World Cup. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Athletic's Michael Cox and Mark Carey join host Ali Maxwell to explore the hype around Brighton boss Graham Potter, which has led to the widespread belief that a 'Big 6' Premier League team, a Champions League club abroad or even the England National Team job are on the horizon...The trio assess the notorious xG underperformance, the bold response to going behind in games, the admiration from the likes of Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp, as well as, why not all Brighton fans are quite so enamoured by him. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices