The Athletic FC Tactics Podcast

The Athletic

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 of the game.

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327 episodes
Updated June 9

Episodes327

Newest first

Sep 11, 2025 · 44 min
Mavericks, Donnarumma & are Arsenal too cautious?
It’s the international break in men’s football and that means only one thing… mailbag time! We’re going to answer your questions on all sorts — iPads, subs, mavericks and more! Host: Michael Bailey With: Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme Producer: Mike Stavrou & Paul Iliffe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sep 4, 2025 · 36 min
Why Amorim's Man United system isn't working
This week, we’ll tell you why Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system he insists on using at Manchester United, isn’t functioning. And we’ll look at other examples of managers who seem wedded to just one system - can that approach really work? Host: Michael Bailey With: Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme Producer: Mike Stavrou Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Aug 28, 2025 · 36 min
Dowman and Ngumoha: The pathway for academy players
This week, we’re charting the journey from academy to first team football. What are the main tactical challenges in making the jump, and how has the transition changed over time? Host: Michael Bailey With: Mark Carey and Liam Tharme Producer: Mike Stavrou Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Aug 21, 2025 · 38 min
Long throws & tall No.9s: The Premier League goes old school
One week of the Premier League season down, 37 to go. And today we’re asking whether the English top flight has gone old school… with more long throw-ins than ever, “proper” No.9s and promoted sides threatening to be competitive… Host: Michael Bailey With: Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme Producer: Mike Stavrou Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Aug 14, 2025 · 43 min
New-look Liverpool & pragmatic Spurs: Premier League preview
Welcome back to The Athletic FC Tactics Podcast. We’re kickstarting the new season with our big Premier League preview show. We’ll analyse the key tactical talking points, managerial changes and the new entrants to the English top flight. Host: Michael Bailey With: Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme Producer: Mike Stavrou Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jul 31, 2025 · 57 min
Creating the England DNA
On episode five of Football Architects we look at how England changed their fortunes from tournament failures to final makers - and in the women's case, winners. Hear from the man who brought about the culture change and brought back pride to the Three Lions. Every episode will also have a written piece on the website, which we will link here Host: Michael Bailey With: Jacob Whitehead and Liam Tharme Producer: Mike Stavrou and Abi Paterson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jul 24, 2025 · 38 min
The secrets behind football's data pioneers
On episode four of Football Architects, we hear from the architects of the data world, who have worked for the biggest football clubs in England. Every episode will also have a written piece on the website, which we will link below. Host: Michael Bailey With: Jacob Whitehead and Mark Carey Producer: Mike Stavrou https://pod.fo/e/2fe33b https://pod.fo/e/2fe34e Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jul 17, 2025 · 43 min
Forging Croatia's Golden Generation
On episode three of Football Architects, we’re focusing on international football's great over-performers, Croatia. We’ll hear from Romeo Jozak, the former academy head and technical director of Dinamo Zagreb and technical director of Croatia from 2013-17. Every episode will also have a written piece on the website, which we will link below. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6445372/2025/07/17/football-architects-croatia-football-overperformers Host: Michael Bailey With: Jacob Whitehead and Juraj Vrdoljak Producer: Mike Stavrou Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jul 10, 2025 · 53 min
How Belgium marched to world number one
On episode two of Football Architects, we’re focusing on the rise that took a stagnant Belgium to number one in FIFA’s world rankings. We’ll hear about how they established a footballing DNA, and created a team of legendary players such as Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne, and many more. Every episode will also have a written piece on the website, which we will link below. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6445749/2025/07/10/football-architects-inside-belgium-rise-world-number-one/ Host: Michael Bailey With: Jacob Whitehead and Liam Tharme Producer: Mike Stavrou Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jul 3, 2025 · 44 min
How Cruyff inspired Ajax's rebirth
Welcome to Football Architects - a summer series for The Athletic FC Tactics Podcast. Over the next five weeks, we’ll tell the stories of esteemed footballing nations and clubs, speaking to the unsung heroes who changed history. Today’s episode is focused on Ajax’s rebirth and how the club was rebuilt in the image of legendary figure Johan Cruyff. Host Michael Bailey will be joined by The Athletic’s Jacob Whitehead and a number of our tactics writers. We’ll also be hearing excerpts of Jacob's interviews with key figures who were at the forefront of these projects. On this episode, we hear from Ruben Jongkind, former head of talent development at Ajax, and the club’s former head talent recruitment, Jasper van Leeuwen. Every episode will also have a written piece on the website, which we will link below. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6445365/2025/07/03/football-architects-rebuilding-ajax-johan-cruyff/ Host: Michael Bailey With: Jacob Whitehead and Liam Tharme Producer: Mike Stavrou Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jun 5, 2025 · 24 min
Are strikerless formations the future?
On this final show of the season, we’re bringing you the eagerly anticipated listener mailbag. We’ll focus on strikerless systems, wing-backs vs full-backs and much, much more. Host: Michael Bailey With: Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme Producer: Mike Stavrou On behalf of the entire Tactics team, thank you for all of your entries and your support this season. Please complete our listener survey: https://forms.gle/atPcQnohDvRWQG2M7 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 29, 2025 · 41 min
Was the 2024/25 Premier League season boring?
On this week’s show, we’re reviewing the 2024-25 season - looking at statistical trends across the Premier League. We’ll also focus on the teams who impressed us, and those who disappointed us. Host: Michael Bailey With: Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme Producer: Mike Stavrou Listener survey: https://forms.gle/atPcQnohDvRWQG2M7 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 26, 2025 · 36 min
Champions League final preview
In this special edition of The Athletic FC Tactics podcast - Duncan Alexander, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme preview the Champions League final between Inter and PSG. Two teams with contrasting styles meet in the final in Munich - so we break down how we think this one might play out. Host: Duncan Alexander With: Mark Carey and Liam Tharme Producer: Mike Stavrou and Liam Warburton Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 22, 2025 · 46 min
Alternative team of the Premier League season 24/25
In this episode, it’s alternative team of the season time! To remind you of the rules, instead of focusing on the top teams - we all pick an eleven with one player from each of the bottom 10 teams in the Premier League table (as it stands on Thursday 22nd May) and then one “wildcard” player - basically one other player from the bottom half clubs. Host: Michael Bailey With: Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme. Producers: Mike Stavrou and Steve Hankey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 15, 2025 · 47 min
Ancelotti, Conte and the tactics of Italian managers
In this episode, we’re talking Italian managers. Specifically… Carlo Ancelotti and Antonio Conte. Ancelotti will be joining the Brazilian men’s national team this summer, drawing his second spell at Real Madrid to a close. Meanwhile, Antonio Conte could be about to win the Scudetto with a third Italian club… potentially adding Napoli to his successes with Juventus and Internazionale. Broadly speaking, Ancelotti has been more successful in European competitions — with Conte having a better success rate bringing home the domestic bacon. But is there something in their tactical philosophies that has caused this? That’s what we talk about in this episode. Host: Michael Bailey With: Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme. Producer: Steve Hankey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 8, 2025 · 35 min
Arsenal’s long throws & the best knockout tie ever?
On this week’s show, we’re focused on the second legs of the Champions League semi-finals. We’ll analyse a tie for the ages - Inter’s 7-6 aggregate win over Barcelona. And also PSG’s victory against Arsenal. Host: Michael Bailey With: Mark Carey and Liam Tharme Producer: Mike Stavrou Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 1, 2025 · 39 min
Yamal's new heights & PSG's press
On this week’s show, we analyse the first legs of the Champions League semi-finals. We’ll discover how PSG’s press nullified Arsenal, and discuss probably the game of the season so far — Barca’s thriller against Inter. Host: Michael Bailey With: Mark Carey and Thom Harris Producer: Mike Stavrou Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Apr 24, 2025 · 42 min
Which teams deserve Champions League football next season?
This week we’re looking at an incredibly tight race in the Premier League to seal European football for next season. And we’ll discuss which of those teams are best set-up for success. Host: Michael Bailey With: Mark Carey and Liam Tharme Producer: Mike Stavrou Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Apr 17, 2025 · 52 min
Champions League final four
In this episode, we look back at the Champions League quarter finals. We also look ahead to the semi-finals and discuss the merits of Arsenal, Paris St Germain, Internazionale and Barcelona. If you want more on Inter, listen here - https://pod.fo/e/2296a4 For our bonus PSG episode, listen here - https://pod.fo/e/2c3d48 Or watch here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vB5AzIuR_cU For a bit on Barcelona, listen here - https://pod.fo/e/27b242 Host: Michael Bailey With: Liam Tharme, Mark Carey, Thom Harris and Michael Cox. Producer: Steve Hankey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Apr 10, 2025 · 40 min
Where have all the French managers gone?
This week we’re focusing on French footballing identity. And we’ll attempt to discover why there is a lack of French managers across Europe’s top leagues. Host: Michael Bailey With: Michael Cox, Mark Carey, Tom Williams Producer: Mike Stavrou Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Athletic FC Tactics Podcast

Mavericks, Donnarumma & are Arsenal too cautious?

Why Amorim's Man United system isn't working

Dowman and Ngumoha: The pathway for academy players

Long throws & tall No.9s: The Premier League goes old school

New-look Liverpool & pragmatic Spurs: Premier League preview

Creating the England DNA

The secrets behind football's data pioneers

Forging Croatia's Golden Generation

How Belgium marched to world number one

How Cruyff inspired Ajax's rebirth

Are strikerless formations the future?

Was the 2024/25 Premier League season boring?

Champions League final preview

Alternative team of the Premier League season 24/25

Ancelotti, Conte and the tactics of Italian managers

Arsenal’s long throws & the best knockout tie ever?

Yamal's new heights & PSG's press

Which teams deserve Champions League football next season?

Champions League final four

Where have all the French managers gone?