The Double Pivot: Soccer analysis, analytics, and commentary

Jordan Henderson has found his way out of the Saudi Pro League and Karim Benzema is hunkered down in Mauritius searching for his own escape. What's gone wrong with the Saudi Pro League? And how is it implicated in much larger economic and geopolitical dynamics and the broad political outlook of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia?Support the show

Football analyst and writer, Grace Robertson, joins the show to discuss the future of Manchester United. They analyze the recent sale of a share of the club, explore the vision for player acquisition and development, and discuss the motivations and uncertainties of club ownership. They also touch on the realistic expectations for the team and Grace's football newsletter.

The big bets of Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali on their new and innovative methods of running a football team have been tested by another half-season of Premier League football. Where do they stand? What do we think they should do in the January window?Support the show

Discussion on the European Court of Justice ruling and its impact on soccer. Exploring the rise and fall of the European Super League and its legal consequences. Potential legal battles between UEFA, FIFA, and rebel clubs. Formation of merge leagues to challenge UEFA's dominance. Speculating on future changes in soccer and the path to reform.

City keep dropping points. Liverpool also dropped points against United in one of the most tactically bizarre matches of the season. Arsenal did not drop points. But now they're both ahead of City, and we take a look at the three teams most likely to win the Premier League.Support the show

The launch of fbref.com has changed public soccer analytics, and we sat down to interview Sean Forman, the president of Sports Reference, about the website, how it came to be, what he learned about soccer analytics from building it, and about their new Stathead feature (stathead.com). Support the show

The Premier League is holding serve so we're talking about a more general subject. Where do you go if you want to progress up the table as a manager? Thomas Frank has done an excellent job at Brentford, but exactly where does he go next and what is likely to be open to him? Why and how has the managerial market changed in the past decade?Support the show

The relegation race, such as it is, is defined by the historic weakness of the promoted teams and the 10-point deduction taken by Everton. We put the weakness of Sheffield United, Luton Town and Burnley in recent historical context and talk about how we remain relatively unconcerned about Fulham, Bournemouth and even Everton despite those teams being in situations that would make them serious relegation fodder in a normal season.Support the show

Liz Hoffman, a finance and business reporter, joins the podcast to discuss 777 Partners and their acquisition of Everton Football Club. They delve into the concept of reinsurance in the life insurance industry, alternative investments in soccer, the Premier League's fit and proper test for club owners, and the controversies surrounding 777 Partners' financial transactions.

Delving into leaked Cyprus Confidential Files, the podcast explores implications for Chelsea's history, the politics of oligarch ownership, and nation states owning football clubs. It uncovers the complex web of money flow between Western Europe and Russia, raising concerns about transparency and legitimacy. The podcast compares the financial activities of Abu Dhabi and state-owned industries to individuals like Roman Abramovich, emphasizing the absence of subterfuge. Discussions also touch on ownership motivations and potential sanctions faced by clubs like Chelsea.