Episode 146 - Why Barca Can’t Be Fixed + We STILL Can’t Trust Man City
Patrick and Neel open with Barcelona’s win over Atletico Madrid and dig into why Atleti started well, why they collapsed after scoring, and how Raphinha and Pedri change Barça’s ceiling. They also break down what Simeone’s team is missing and whether they can stay competitive with Spain’s top two.
Then it’s onto the Premier League, starting with Sunderland’s brave performance at Anfield and why their approach is working in a season full of chaos. Leeds’ shift in structure, Daniel Farke’s reputation, and their big win over Chelsea come next, followed by a deeper look at Manchester City’s issues out of possession and why their current squad build leaves them stuck between pressing and blocking deep.
The episode closes in Scotland with Celtic’s appointment of Wilfried Nancy. Patrick and Neel walk through his coaching journey, his style of play, and what it might take to implement his system quickly in a tight title race.
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Timestamps:
00:00 – Barcelona beat Atleti — what actually happened
01:46 – Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid
03:04 – How Atleti break Barça’s high line (secondary runners + curved runs)
04:51 – Why Atleti collapsed after scoring
06:36 – The Rafinha goal and whether Atleti are stuck between two styles
07:41 – Why Atleti aren’t as defensively solid anymore
08:50 – Can Atleti still be Spain’s third-best team?
09:30 – Barça’s ceiling and what Raphinha + Pedri change
11:12 – Is this sustainable and what happens in Europe?
12:55 – Premier League Round Up
13:26 – Sunderland’s positive approach at Anfield
14:21 – Sunderland looked dangerous and brave
15:19 – Sunderland’s attacking plan and transition work
16:32 – How Sunderland saved themselves
18:50 – Promoted teams: stick to your style or change?
21:00 – Leeds’ tactical shift and changes vs Chelsea
23:07 – The Premier League’s wild parity
24:34 – Leeds’ smart changes (midfield profiles, less 4-2-3-1)
26:10 – How Leeds should shape up in upcoming fixtures
27:34 – Leeds’ plan is working
28:29 – Daniel Farke’s reputation vs the reality
29:06 – Leeds’ quality vs the teams around them
30:01 – Man City vs Fulham: chaos game
31:36 – What’s wrong with City’s pressing
33:35 – City’s personnel issues
35:10 – Elite sides have to be good defensively
36:11 – Foden’s role and where he fits best
36:57 – City’s front three dynamics
38:33 – Aston Villa’s best performance of the season
39:15 – Villa haven’t played well this season despite results
40:50 – Moving on: Celtic hire Wilfried Nancy
41:14 – Nancy’s coaching path: France → Canada → MLS
43:31 – Nancy’s playing style and tactical profile
46:26 – How long will it take to implement this at Celtic?
47:33 – Celtic’s squad + whether the attackers can execute this style
48:54 – Why MLS → Celtic is a logical step
50:21 – Celtic’s messy process leading to the hire
51:25 – Why Nancy is still likely to succeed in Scotland
52:28 – Closing chat & where to find Neel
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Episode 145 - Why Spurs should NOT fire Thomas Frank + CHELSEA are the 2nd best team in the Premier League?
Ted and Neel break down Chelsea vs Arsenal and what the match told us about where both clubs actually stand right now. They get into why these two sides look like the Premier League’s most complete teams, what made the match tactically strange, and how Chelsea have quietly benefitted from continuity this season. Then, a horrible list of names to replace Arne Slot and why Real Madrid's Xabi Alonso could be a name to watch.
Then, Patrick joins to discuss Spurs’ season unraveling as their midfield issues finally catch up to them, and why no coach can solve it without real passers. Then a look at PSG’s wobble, the drop in chance quality, and whether Luis Enrique can time another late-season surge. Enjoy!
Ted's Chelsea Article: https://www.thetransferflow.com/p/are-chelsea-the-second-best-team-in-the-premier-league
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Timestamps:
00:00 – Intro
01:09 – Chelsea–Arsenal: Are Chelsea the 2nd best team in the league?
02:13 – Chelsea’s defensive improvement
03:47 – Are Chelsea actually better?
05:36 – Stability vs everyone else being chaos this season
07:41 – Last season vs this season for Chelsea
09:36 – Set-piece leap and missing a real center-forward
10:48 – Liverpool’s slide and the press pushing manager-out talk
12:34 – The cursed list of replacement coaches
13:26 – Should Liverpool stick with Slot?
14:13 – Xabi Alonso and Real Madrid’s drama
16:25 – Alonso’s on-pitch signs vs off-pitch madness
17:08 – Big-name squad management problems
18:39 – Would Alonso fit Liverpool?
19:00 – Vinicius, discipline, and why only Ancelotti seemed able to handle it
21:09 – Patrick returns: Spurs’ midfield problem remains the whole story
22:20 – Spurs never solved their passing problem
23:44 – What Spurs actually did in the window and why it made things worse
24:31 – They spent money… just not on the problem positions
25:28 – Close losses, thin margins, and low-event football collapsing
26:08 – No catch-up gear
26:40 – Who’s actually running Spurs?
27:50 – Firing Frank doesn’t solve the issue
28:30 – Bad luck with midfield misses
30:51 – Take your medicine season: no fixing this before January
31:14 – PSG aren’t last year’s superteam anymore
31:51 – Injuries, kids playing big minutes, and defensive volatility
32:49 – Attack still good; defense wildly inconsistent
33:27 – Chance quality
34:49 – Enrique’s enlightened approach and long-view management
36:02 – PSG’s seasonal pattern and how Enrique times their peak
37:13 – Shot quality collapse reasons
37:51 – Patreon plug
#tottenham #chelsea #liverpool #psg #premierleague #epl #arneslot #thomasfrank #xabialonso #realmadrid #foryou #fyp #footballtactics #transfernews #arsenal
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Episode 144 - Evaluating Marc Guehi Alternatives for Liverpool + Chelsea DESTROY Barcelona
Episode 143 - City's overreliance on Haaland is a BIG problem + Liverpool Lose AGAIN
Patrick and Neel break down a wild weekend. Spurs fall apart at Arsenal, Thomas Frank’s plan makes no sense, and Ezra gives Arsenal a completely different look in attack.
Then they move to Newcastle vs Man City where both teams create a ton but in totally different ways. Newcastle go brave in midfield, City lean even harder on Haaland, and the guys ask what happens if he isn’t there.
Liverpool’s slide continues with more tactical confusion and another bad run of substitutions. They talk about what’s actually wrong and whether Slot can fix it.
They wrap with the Milan derby and where Milan, Inter, and the rest of Serie A really stand. Enjoy!
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Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
01:32 Spurs’ bizarre setup vs Arsenal
02:46 What exactly was Spurs’ plan?
04:02 Arsenal break the U-shape circulation
05:25 Merino and Eze
06:18 Did Arsenal benefit from not having a traditional 9?
09:10 Spurs’ defending issues and blocked shots problem
11:04 Eze is exactly what Arsenal hoped for
12:33 Spurs’ attacking floor disappears
13:15 What can Frank actually fix?
13:49 Spurs’ in-possession issues and the long-ball alternative
15:04 Spurs need a simpler approach
16:15 Arsenal vs Bayern quick thoughts
16:48 Newcastle’s daring plan against City
17:54 Why Newcastle’s approach exposed City
19:52 City’s insane Haaland dependency
23:01 Why City’s system is unstable
24:07 If Haaland gets injured…
25:00 City’s lack of shot-getting wingers
26:26 Marmoush?
27:25 Doku without Haaland
28:21 Savio, Marmoush and City’s weird squad choices
29:14 Pep doubling down on heliocentric football
31:04 Newcastle deserve credit + City no longer feared
32:04 Liverpool’s collapse continues
33:39 The defensive chaos under Slot
34:40 Slot’s changes making things worse
36:05 Why Gravenberch at the base is a disaster
38:17 Can Slot resolve this?
39:49 Should Liverpool move on?
41:00 The Pep-overthinking comparison
42:22 January options
43:40 Italy roundup
44:13 Milan beat Inter + Pulisic hot run
45:00 Inter’s elite underlying numbers
45:50 Why Allegri’s haram-ball is unsustainable
48:42 Milan vs low blocks
49:30 Modric/Yashari midfield questions
50:40 Milan’s shot profile tells the whole story
51:02 Why nobody in Serie A looks like a title team (except Inter)
52:16 Why Inter should win… but might not
53:02 Inter’s aging squad and repeat issues
55:51 Chivu vs Inzaghi
56:45 A real mid-off
#manchestercity #mancity #haaland #arsenal #tottenham #eze #liverpool #slot #arteta #pepguardiola #intermilan #acmilan #seriea #epl #premierleague
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Episode 142 - Ranking the 10 Best Midfielders in World Football + Where will Antoine Semenyo land?
South Africa