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The Athletic FC Tactics Podcast

The Athletic
Premier League
Manchester City
Arsenal
Football Tactics
Champions League
Liverpool
Chelsea
Manchester United
Tactics
Football
Aston Villa
Brentford
Real Madrid
Set Pieces
Nottingham Forest
Tottenham Hotspur
Pep Guardiola
Ligue 1
Barcelona
Mohamed Salah

Hosted by Michael Bailey, revered football tactics writer Michael Cox is joined by Mark Carey, Liam Tharme and more of The Athletic's brightest tactics and data department to break down the tactical and technical details behind the biggest footballing stories each week - assessing the latest trends, systems, players, managers and all manner of statistics in order to give you a deeper understanding... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes320Founded6 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Sports

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Artwork for The Athletic FC Tactics Podcast

Latest Episodes

Bruno Fernandes is on the cusp of breaking the Premier League record for most assists in a single season. 

So why hasn’t the record been beaten in more than 20 years?

And what’s the secret behind Fernandes’ creative genius?

Host: Michael Bailey

G... more

This week, there’s only one story in town — the Premier League title clash between Manchester City and Arsenal.

Can Mikel Arteta finally get the better of his old mentor?

Or will Pep Guardiola pull yet another tactical rabbit out of his hat?

Host:... more

This week, we’re diving into the world of attacking partnerships.

How have roles at the top of the pitch changed over time?

And must all attackers be able to defend?

Host: Matt Davies-Adams

Guests: Michael Cox, Mark Carey & Liam Tharme

Producer:... more

This week, we’re discussing midfield combinations.

From your creators, to destroyers; how do player roles complement each other?

Let’s build a complete midfield!

Host: Michael Bailey

Guests: Michael Cox, Mark Carey & Liam Tharme

Producer: Mike S... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Liam Rosenior
Chelsea manager discussed on the show
Chelsea
Episode: Varying fortunes of recent managerial hires
Michael Cox
Football tactics writer and analyst
The Athletic
Episode: Are football's new laws overcomplicating the game?
Mark Carey
Signals and data analysis contributor
The Athletic
Episode: Are football's new laws overcomplicating the game?
Ilkay Gündoğan
Former Manchester City midfielder and current player for Galatasaray
Galatasaray
Episode: Gundogan interview: Klopp vs Guardiola, Man City's treble & more
Ian Graham
Former Director of Research at Liverpool FC
Liverpool FC
Episode: The secrets behind football's data pioneers
Sarah Rudd
Former Head of Analytics at Arsenal FC and now CEO of SRC Football
SRC Football
Episode: The secrets behind football's data pioneers
Bob Bruyne
Technical Director of the Flemish Football Association, with years of experience in coaching and player development
Belgian FA
Episode: How Belgium marched to world number one
Ruben Jongkind
Former head of talent development at Ajax.
Episode: How Cruyff inspired Ajax's rebirth
Jacob Whitehead
Frequent contributor and writer for The Athletic.
The Athletic
Episode: How Cruyff inspired Ajax's rebirth

Host

Michael Bailey
Host of The Athletic FC Tactics Podcast; regular analyst and commentator on tactical football topics.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 1.6k ratings
  • Too short for the amount of ads

    Doesnt feel worth the investment of having to press forward 30 secs a bunch of times

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    majsan1889
    Sweden2 months ago
  • Good content, shame about all the ads

    There’s been some excellent content on this podcast, but the flow is lost with the adverts for irrelevant content from the NYT.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Tony Burgess
    United Kingdom6 months ago
  • Good

    Michael Cox could change his attitude, and not always say that some team is bad or dull, thats not what to do on an informative podcast. Hoever, the teactics and analysis is still pretty good.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    aiden chen harry potter
    United Statesa year ago
  • I miss football

    What has this world come to ? People get so obsessed with tactics ! Its just so ridiculous people making content out of stupid data and stats . Really makes me angry

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Don’t change footy
    United Kingdoma year ago
  • If you want a competitive utopia…

    Great ep lads.

    Just on something that came up in the latest episode: the Scottish championship might be the best league in Europe for competition.

    Everything that is said about the English champ about competition and exciting is also true of the Scottish champ, but for the opposite reason.

    My team, Morton, finished two points off of 2nd and 6 off first. We didn’t even finish in the playoffs…

    The games might not have an incredible standard, but they’re always exciting, full of scraps and c... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    D.Adams02
    United Kingdom2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

A few listeners note ads can interrupt flow and audio levels vary.
Overall high praise for data-driven football analysis and nuanced tactical discussion.
Some critique Michael Cox's delivery or frequent emphasis on analytics over narrative.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#232
United Kingdom/Sports
Apple Podcasts
#12
South Korea/Sports
Apple Podcasts
#18
Ukraine/Sports
Apple Podcasts
#80
Israel/Sports
Apple Podcasts
#122
India/Sports
Apple Podcasts
#165
South Africa/Sports

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Bruno Fernandes: Creative genius
Q: To expand on that point, should breaking the record now be deemed a better or harder achievement than setting that benchmark a few years ago, given the current quality across the Premier League?
The hosts discuss that a relatively balanced and evenly spread Premier League this season, plus factors like set-piece reliability and multiple capable attackers, make the record arguably harder to break now; however, improvements in data and broader participation could complicate direct comparisons over time.
Bruno Fernandes: Creative genius
Q: First, and this seems like a very basic point to make, but an important one and one I want to get to first. Mark, how do we actually define an assist?
They explain that Opta defines an assist as the final touch from a teammate that leads to a goal, with consistency across the data; it excludes deflections that still result in a goal and ignores shots blocked or rebounds that aren't directly the final pass.
Man United & England: How to build a complete midfield
Q: What profile of midfielders should Manchester United target as pivots behind Bruno Fernandes?
A player who is combative defensively but also capable on the ball, someone who can shield the defense while facilitating the attack, with potential to contribute to transitions and retain balance when Bruno drops deeper or moves forward.
No sweet home: Is 'home advantage' fading?
Q: What happens to home advantage when teams move stadiums?
Teams often experience a significant drop in home advantage immediately after moving, but it gradually improves over the next few seasons as familiarity with the new ground develops.
Underrated Premier League players & formation changes
Q: How does counter-attacking work tactically in modern football?
It's somewhat chaotic and instinctive, but it hinges on quick transitions and player positioning aimed at creating overloads.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Athletic FC Tactics Podcast

What is The Athletic FC Tactics Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Analytical football tacticians lead deep dives into systems, formations, and the data behind contemporary matches. Episodes commonly explore managerial changes, rule changes, player roles, and how statistics translate to on-field outcomes, often featuring multiple guests from The Athletic's tactics and data teams. The tone tends to be thoughtful and data-driven, with strong emphasis on how tactical concepts unfold in real games, while occasional sharp takes on managers or leagues provide balance. Noteworthy is the consistent focus on tactical nuance, the integration of advanced stat thinking with traditional analysis, and collaborations among a core group of tactics experts that listeners seem to value for its depth and rigor.

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How many subscribers and views does The Athletic FC Tactics Podcast have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Athletic FC Tactics Podcast has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Athletic FC Tactics Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Athletic FC Tactics Podcast:

1. The Athletic FC Podcast
2. Tifo Football Podcast
3. The Totally Football Show with James Richardson
4. Football Weekly
5. The Game

How many episodes of The Athletic FC Tactics Podcast are there?

The Athletic FC Tactics Podcast launched 6 years ago and published 320 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The Athletic FC Tactics Podcast?

Recent guests on The Athletic FC Tactics Podcast include:

1. Liam Rosenior
2. Michael Cox
3. Mark Carey
4. Ilkay Gündoğan
5. Ian Graham
6. Sarah Rudd
7. Bob Bruyne
8. Ruben Jongkind

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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