The Daily Football Briefing

Aston Villa have played three and won three, and they top the Champions League. More than that, they’ve successfully reversed their Ollie Watkins/Jhon Duran dynamic up front. Jacob Tanswell was there.Real Madrid had a bit of a fright, they were 0-2 down to Borussia Dortmund after an hour. It ended 5-2 and Seb Stafford Bloor says it didn’t flatter them. Arsenal picked up an important win in front of James McNicholas, AC Milan survived a ropey start against Club Brugge to win 3-1 in front of me. On my laptop, at least. And we have news on all the other CL games, including Juventus’ defeat at home to Stuttgart and PSG’s draw with PSV. There were Championship games too, Nancy Froston was at Elland Road to see Leeds go second. Is there any other podcast that will bring you up to speed with all of this? There is not. Need something to read? Got a strong stomach? Nick Miller digs into the Evangelos Marinakis phlegm-gate case. Yes, it’s as vile as it sounds.https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5863991/2024/10/22/marinakis-spitting-fa-report/Need something to listen to? The Athletic FC podcasts asks, just how good are Barcelona under Hansi Flick? https://podfollow.com/athletic-fc-podPresenter: Iain MacintoshWith: Jacob Tanswell, Seb Stafford Bloor, James McNicholas, Nancy FrostonProducer: Tom Fuller

Crystal Palace, so impressive at the end of last season, are still without a victory after they were beaten 1-0 at Nottingham Forest. What’s gone wrong? Matt Woosnam was there, maybe he knows?It’s all about perspective though. Crystal Palace are in a far better position than Valencia. The former La Liga champions hit rock bottom of La Liga after they were beaten 1-3 at home by Las Palmas, who haven’t won a game since February. They’re getting relegated, aren’t they?  Plus: Close your eyes. Close them tight. Now, tell me the current top three of the Champions League. Can you do it? Of course you can’t. No-one can. That’s why you need this podcast. We’ll tell you who’s playing who, but we’ll also tell you what it all means. In so much as we can. I mean, what does anything mean, really? We’re all just flesh-wraiths, briefly animated for reasons we know not, condemned to lurch across this plane of existence, trying to do as little damage as we can in the short time that we’re here. We’re marooned on a tiny rock that hurtles through a near-infinity of open space. So, juxtaposed against this harrowing reality, sure, I’ll tell you what I think Girona against Slovan Bratislava means.Plus, will Virgil van Dijk sign a new contract and which rapper is trying to buy Tranmere Rovers?Need something to read? Try Liam Tharme’s excellent and thoughtful piece about the real issue with English coaches.https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5853035/2024/10/21/thomas-tuchel-english-coaches-pathway/Need something to listen to? Are you an NBA fan? Find The NBA Daily right here. https://podfollow.com/nba-dailyPresenter: Iain MacintoshWith: Matt WoosnamProducer: Tom Fuller

That’s ten wins from eleven games for new Liverpool boss Arne Slot and very little pleases those supporters more than a victory over Chelsea. James Pearce was there and he tells us what this performance might mean for Curtis Jones. We’ve got the scores and the stories from the WSL with Abi Paterson, from Spain with Dermot Corrigan, from Germany with Seb Stafford Bloor and from picturesque Lake Como with James Horncastle. You simply will not find a more efficient way of finding out everything you need to know about the football than listening to this splendid little podcast. Presenter: Iain MacintoshWith: James Pearce, Abi Paterson, Dermot Corrigan, Seb Stafford Bloor, James HorncastleProducer: Abi Paterson

International week is over, club football has returned and I think we’re all very thankful. We’re looking ahead to the Liverpool - Chelsea game with Liam Twomey, we’re chatting to Dermot Corrigan about Real Madrid and Barcelona and we’ve hauled JJ Bull out of a cocktail party to give us the lowdown on unbeaten Aberdeen.Plus, all the scores from the Women’s Champions League and the surprise appearance of an Improptu International Week Gamers Club. Why would you listen to anything else?Need something to read? Get a sneak preview of Thomas Tuchel’s football with a heavy duty tactics read from Mark Carey and Thom Harris:https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5847535/2024/10/17/thomas-tuchel-england-tactics-analysis/Need something to listen to? Check the mood at Old Trafford where they may not be looking forward to the return of club football with quite the same level of enthusiasm…Talk of the Devils is here.https://podfollow.com/talk-of-the-devilsPresenter: Iain MacintoshWith: Liam Twomey, Dermot Corrigan and JJ BullProducer: Si Watts

With Thomas Tuchel signed, sealed and delivered we speak to David Ornstein following the new England manager’s first press conference while we look at the pro’s and con’s of his time at Chelsea with Simon Johnson.As Arsenal begin life without women’s manager Jonas Eidvall, Megan Feringa was at the Emirates Stadium to keep an eye on any early signs of change as they took on Valerenga in the Champions League, while we look back on Manchester City’s dramatic win against St Polten in Austria.Plus misery for Poch as the USA are beaten and yet another match ball for Lionel Messi.Need something to read? Andy Jones takes a look at Liverpool’s clipboard-wielding ‘field coach’ Sipke Hulshoff - the often unseen key member of Arne Slot’s team:https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5844715/2024/10/16/sipke-hulshoff-liverpool-assistant-profile/Presenter: Matt Davies-AdamsWith: David Ornstein, Simon Johnson, Megan Feringa, Paul TenorioProducer: Simon Watts

Thomas Tuchel is set to become the new manager of England. The news broke on Tuesday night, but Jack Pitt-Brooke pounced into action, he joins us to explain the thinking. There was some Nations League football too. Pol Ballus watched Spain beat Serbia,while I greatly enjoyed another battling performance from Scotland and their fans’ merciless treatment of Cristiano Ronaldo.Plus, in words that sports writers have never before been able to type, Sir Alex Ferguson is going to lose his job at Manchester United. Adam Crafton has more on his big story. And Arsenal are looking for a new manager of their women’s team. Charlotte Harpur broke that one for us and she explains why it’s all over for Jonas Eidevall.  Need something to read? La Liga president Javier Tebas has been sounding off about FIFA and Matt Slater is here to explain all: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5845608/2024/10/15/club-world-cup-fifa-criticism/ Presenter: Iain MacintoshWith: Jack Pitt-Brooke, Pol Ballus, Carl Anka, Adam Crafton and Charlotte Harpur Producer: Tom Fuller

It was a good night for Europe’s traditional powers. Germany beat the Netherlands in a match of few chances, France beat Belgium in the game I really should have been watching and Italy thrashed Israel in the game James Horncastle was watching.Elsewhere, why have Nigeria forfeited their game against Libya? And why is FIFPro, the footballers’ union, launching a legal complaint against FIFA? You’ll find out here. Need something to read? You need JJ Bull’s guide to why Aberdeen are (sort of) Europe’s most in-form team.https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5836751/2024/10/14/aberdeen-best-team-in-europe/And if you want to know if Pep Guardiola could be England’s next manager, you need the Athletic FC podcast.https://podfollow.com/athletic-fc-podPresenter: Iain MacintoshWith: Steve Hankey, James Horncastle, Nnamdi Onyeagwara, Matt SlaterProducer: Steve Hankey

After Thursday’s appalling defeat at home to Greece, interim England boss Lee Carsley needed to get his side back on track. It wasn’t always pretty, but that’s exactly what they did. Goals from Jack Grealish, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Declan Rice put England back in contention for promotion out of the B Groups. In the A Groups, Portugal are flying, they beat Poland. We’ve got the state of play across all of those upper groups for you, whether you like it or not. Paul Tenorio watched Mauricio Pochettino’s first game in charge of the USMNT, he’s here to tell us how it went. And Abi Paterson is across all of the WSL, and some of the European games too.  Want to know why so many footballers are investing in esports teams? Ajay Rose has just the article for you. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5739705/2024/10/13/footballers-esports-david-beckham-neymar-casemiro/Presenter: Iain MacintoshWith: Jack Pitt-Brooke, Paul Tenorio, Abi PatersonProducer: Lucy Oliva

Well…that wasn’t very good, was it? England had made a steady start to life under Lee Carlsey, but our man at Wembley Jack Pitt-Brooke called them ‘abysmal’ as they crashed to a 1-2 defeat. Belgium boss Domenico Tedesco could have been in trouble too, his side were being played off the park by Italy until Lorenzo Pellegrini was sent off and so the Belgians came back from 0-2 down to draw 2-2. Australia had a great result against China, Ghana didn’t against Sudan (yes, we’re casting our eye over the rest of the world now) but the worst news of the day is undoubtedly the announcement that Football Manager 2025 will be delayed until March next year. How will we live?Need to know how Belgian football works? Check out Alex Stewart’s epic, single-take masterpiece for TIFOhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfThFvENg3s&t=194sWant to hear that Tom Williams French football interview? Click the link herehttps://open.spotify.com/episode/1k6zJnindZZa0z5hN8xJ4x?si=9hsaycPdQHGb0DTZlnHA0QPresenter: Iain MacintoshWith: Jack Pitt-BrookeProducer: Tom Fuller

Jurgen Klopp is coming back to football, but not as a manager. He’s going to be the Global Head of Soccer at Red Bull. So what does that actually mean? Simon Hughes joins us to discuss further. It was an exciting night in the UEFA Women’s Champions League where Arsenal were taken apart in the second half by Bayern Munich, they were beaten 5-2. No such issues for Manchester City though, they were excellent in their 2-0 victory over Barcelona.International week is boring, is it? Tell that to fans of Australia, Ghana and Brazil. Find out why this is a massive week for them. Presenter: Iain MacintoshWith: Simon Hughes, Charlotte HarpurProducer: Si Watts