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
Join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheTransferFlow
Subscribe to our FREE newsletter: https://www.thetransferflow.com/subscribe
Join Variance Betting: https://www.thetransferflow.com/upgrade
Follow us on our Socials:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe1WTKOt7byrELQcGRSzu1Q
X: https://x.com/TheTransferFlow
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetransferflow.bsky.social
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetransferflow/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@transferflowpodcast
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
--------
39:53
--------
39:53
Episode 144 - Evaluating Marc Guehi Alternatives for Liverpool + Chelsea DESTROY Barcelona
On this episode, Patrick and Hayden break down the midweek Champions League action, from Chelsea’s statement win over Barcelona to Manchester City’s worrying dependence on Erling Haaland. Are the new league-phase games actually giving us useful information, or are red cards and rotation killing the stakes?
Then we turn to Liverpool, whose defensive issues are starting to pile up. With Van Dijk aging, Konaté out of form and out of contract soon, and fullbacks rotating every week, what should they actually do in January? Patrick and Hayden each bring a centre-back target Liverpool should consider.
Neel’s Man City Article: https://www.thetransferflow.com/p/manchester-city-s-over-reliance-on-erling-haaland-is-crazier-than-you-think
Join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheTransferFlow
Subscribe to our FREE newsletter: https://www.thetransferflow.com/subscribe
Join Variance Betting: https://www.thetransferflow.com/upgrade
Follow us on our Socials:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe1WTKOt7byrELQcGRSzu1Q
X: https://x.com/TheTransferFlow
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetransferflow.bsky.social
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetransferflow/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@transferflowpodcast
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
01:38 How red cards ruin these league-phase games
03:16 What the points cutoffs actually look like
04:02 Marseille’s comeback & Newcastle’s European profile
05:07 Chelsea’s first half performance vs Barcelona
06:12 The red card + Estevao’s brilliant goal
07:51 Cucurella’s evolution
09:38 City vs Leverkusen: the Haaland dependency problem
10:37 What City did and didn’t learn from this loss
12:08 Ajax–Benfica & the Mourinho control template
13:20 Rayane Bounida and Promise David
14:21 Malik Tillman’s development
15:19 City’s possession and pressing questions
16:24 Tillman’s large role for the USMNT
17:55 Phil Foden + City missing KDB
19:04 What Cherki needs to become
19:56 Liverpool’s defensive mess + Guehi links
22:26 Fullback additions
23:02 The expiring contracts problem
24:09 Why Liverpool still need a CB despite signing Leono
24:48 The profile Liverpool should target
26:45 Hayden’s list of options
28:58 Hayden’s pick: Mario Gila
30:27 Liverpool can be flexible on age here
33:00 FBRef comparisons
34:16 Why expiring in 2027 matters
36:05 The challenge Liverpool are facing with squad building
#liverpool #chelsea #championsleague #vandijk #arneslot #konate #premierleague #barcelona #newcastle #marseille #mancity #leverkusen #ucl #lfc #marcguehi #guehi #football #soccer #fyp #foryou
--------
37:57
--------
37:57
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!
Join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheTransferFlow
Subscribe to our FREE newsletter: https://www.thetransferflow.com/subscribe
Join Variance Betting: https://www.thetransferflow.com/upgrade
Follow us on our Socials:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe1WTKOt7byrELQcGRSzu1Q
X: https://x.com/TheTransferFlow
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetransferflow.bsky.social
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetransferflow/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@transferflowpodcast
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
--------
58:26
--------
58:26
Episode 142 - Ranking the 10 Best Midfielders in World Football + Where will Antoine Semenyo land?
On this episode, Patrick and Hayden rank the 10 best midfielders in football for the 2025/26 season. They get into why Pedri is the clear number 1, the difficulties in ranking Caicedo, Declan Rice, and Vitinha. Next comes Dominik Szoboszlai and Fede Valverde, whose versatility makes them super valuable. Slots 7-10 differ for the guys, with Tchouaméni, Joao Neves, Bruno Grimaraes, Elliott Anderson, and Gravenberch all getting mentioned.
Then comes Antoine Semenyo, who is rumoured to be available for £65m in January. Where are his landing spots, why have his numbers declined this season, and could a loan to Barcelona be in the cards? Enjoy!
Join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheTransferFlow
Subscribe to our FREE newsletter: https://www.thetransferflow.com/subscribe
Join Variance Betting: https://www.thetransferflow.com/upgrade
Follow us on our Socials:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe1WTKOt7byrELQcGRSzu1Q
X: https://x.com/TheTransferFlow
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetransferflow.bsky.social
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetransferflow/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@transferflowpodcast
00:00 - Intro
01:49 - Establishing rules for the rankings
03:16 - Defining 6’s vs 8’s vs 10’s
04:46 - A Clear #1 - Pedri
05:22 - Injuries are his only downside
06:59 - La Masia’s magic
09:30 - The gold standard
10:16 - Declan Rice vs Caicedo
11:50 - Hayden was WRONG about Rice
12:59 - Caicedo over Rice?
14:27 - Rice’s progressive actions + Caicedo is hard to judge
16:58 - Both are super durable
18:28 - Vitinha second for Hayden?
21:50 - Vitinha runs the game like a manager would want
23:33 - Dominik Szoboszlai, but is he a midfielder?
26:07 - Comparison to Fede Valverde’s versatility
28:26 - Valverde as a leader
29:37 - 11 of 1 player as the best team in the world?
30:00 - Hayden’s remaining 7-10 (Tchouaméni, Joao Neves, Bruno Grimaraes)
32:10 - Who is 10th?
32:33 - Patrick’s 7-10 (Tchouaméni, Neves, Gravenberch, Eliott Anderson?)
36:20 - Contenders for the final spot
38:33 - Antoine Semenyo to leave Bournemouth this January?
40:04 - What teams does he make sense for?
41:00 - The price tag makes this difficult + numbers dropping this season?
43:26 - A loan move to Barcelona?
45:20 - Great fit on the current Bournemouth team
46:55 - Less minutes on his legs than his age would suggest
48:33 - Bournemouth’s talent exodus explaining the dropoff?
#footballplayer #premierleague #barcelona #pedri #declanrice #caicedo #vitinha #joaoneves #arsenal #chelsea #liverpool #laliga #realmadrid #psg #football #soccer #footballpodcast #foryou #fyp
--------
50:52
--------
50:52
Episode 141 - Buy or Sell: Roma Top 2, Bundesliga Shakeup, and Forest Relegated?
On this episode, Ted and Hayden go around Europe and play buy or sell on the biggest storylines outside the Premier League. Villarreal’s push toward Spain’s top three, Roma’s rebuild under Gasperini, and why the Bundesliga race behind Bayern looks completely different this season. They dig into whether anyone can get close to PSG, how Enrique has reshaped the squad, and what the depth in Ligue 1 really looks like this year. Then it shifts to recruitment, the mistakes that matter, what people get wrong about player evaluation, and how clubs actually improve their processes. The episode wraps with the Premier League relegation fight, Forest’s chances of staying up, and the teams that should be worried as the season grinds on.
Join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheTransferFlow
Subscribe to our FREE newsletter: https://www.thetransferflow.com/subscribe
Join Variance Betting: https://www.thetransferflow.com/upgrade
Subscribe to our Clips channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TransferFlowClips
Follow us on our Socials:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe1WTKOt7byrELQcGRSzu1Q
X: https://x.com/TheTransferFlow
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetransferflow.bsky.social
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetransferflow/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@transferflowpodcast
Timestamps:
00:00 – Intro and episode overview
02:26 – Villarreal’s rise and whether they can crack Spain’s top three
03:13 – Why their Champions League form muddies the picture
05:48 – Villarreal’s recruitment model and defensive identity
08:30 – Buy or sell on Villarreal finishing third
09:25 – Roma’s rebuild under Gasperini and the Serie A traffic jam
11:27 – Roma’s defensive ceiling and why second place is a reach
13:26 – Inter, Juve, Milan and the top-end parity in Italy
14:04 – Bayern’s insane metrics and the Bundesliga hierarchy
15:40 – Leverkusen’s early meltdown and fast correction
16:06 – Frankfurt’s upside and the challenges of young squads
17:20 – How Leipzig and Dortmund keep shifting week to week
18:10 – The injuries that could flip the Bundesliga race below Bayern
20:33 – PSG’s depth, fatigue and the reality of the title race
22:22 – Similarities to last season for PSG
23:16 – Shot profiles, xG gaps and how Ligue 1’s depth is changing
25:17 – What would it take for PSG to not win Ligue 1?
27:00 – PSG vs Bayern in how well they are run
28:32 – How coaching cycles open windows for challengers
29:45 – What you can see on our Patreon
31:55 – The challenges of player recruitment and the lessons we learn
33:55 – Buy or sell on Nottingham Forest staying up
35:01 – Sean Dyche and squad fit
36:01 – West Ham’s slide and the red flags in their recruitment
36:45 – Who will get relegated?
38:09 – Leeds, Brentford and the margins at the bottom
39:04 – Why West Ham might be the real danger team
43:20 – Wrap-up and Patreon plug
South Africa