Host Ali Maxwell is joined by The Athletic's Michael Cox, Liam Tharme and Ahmed Walid to explore Napoli's marvellous season and discuss whether or not they can go onto to win this year's Champions League, as well as, a first Serie A title since 1989/90... Does head coach Luciano Spalletti get enough credit for continuing to innovate at 64 years old? Is star-striker Victor Osimhen destined for a Premier League move to Manchester United or Chelsea and which of Kvaratskhelia's many nicknames is your favourite? Plus, does the 'perfect UCL play-style' exist and how to effectively rank all the remaining sides who safely made it through to the Champions League quarter-finals this week. Produced by Adonis Pratsides *** • Get a FREE 1-year supply of immune-supporting Vitamin D AND 5 FREE travel packs with your first purchase at athleticgreens.com/EPL Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In part two of our investigation into the state of PL management, Ali, Michael, Mark and Liam ask how important is a manager and if we can ever prove definitively whether a manager is good or bad? The Athletic's tactics team explore the evolution of the manager's position from arranging the team's transportation to setting pressing traps! How much can a Premier League manager impact a team and are we able to actually predict whether a new manager will be a 'good fit' for a particular football club using A.I.? Plus, the panel embark on some myth-busting involving the 'new manager bounce' and if every manager simply deserves 'more time'. Produced by Adonis Pratsides Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Despite huge disappointment for both Kylian Mbappe and Marcus Rashford this week, host Ali Maxwell is joined by The Athletic's Mark Carey & Liam Tharme for a bonus episode to dissect the frighteningly good numbers the pair have posted already this season... Has Rashford found his best position and how much credit does Benni McCarthy deserve for his resurgence? What is Mbappe hilariously bad at and does he thrive despite the tactical flaws at PSG? How Rashford has matured as a footballer and why Mbappe to Real Madrid is problematic. Produced by Adonis Pratsides Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In part one of a two-part investigation into the state of Premier League management, host Ali Maxwell & The Athletic's Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme, explore the many reasons why it is becoming impossible to become a 'long-serving' manager in the most demanding league in the world... How long is the optimum tenure of a Premier League manager now, how Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger warped our perceptions of longevity and success, how PL data compares to the other major European leagues and if increased media scrutiny, player power and data analytics has simply made the job more draining! Produced by Adonis Pratsides and Ben Green Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After praise for Marco Rose's RB Leipzig in their Champions League draw with Man City on Wednesday night, host Ali Maxwell and The Athletic's Michael Cox, Mark Carey & Liam Tharme explore the many virtues of Red Bull Football... How is the philosophy defined on and off the pitch, what is the make-up of the quintessential 'RB' player, the coaching tree from Ralf Rangnick down and how effective it has been in the Premier League? Plus, as the high-octane playing style has taken hold across Europe, has it actually made the game more or less watchable, does it lend itself to knockout tournament football and why managers like Jesse Marsch and Ralph Hasenhuttl can't just be plucked from within the multi-club model and expected to flourish. Produced by Adonis Pratsides *** • Get a FREE 1-year supply of immune-supporting Vitamin D AND 5 FREE travel packs with your first purchase at athleticgreens.com/EPL Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How badly are Arsenal missing Gabriel Jesus, why Pep courted disaster with Bernardo Silva at left-back again, why Chelsea are not missing Aubameyang despite their problems infront of goal and why Kylian Mbappe is the best in the world... Host Ali Maxwell and The Athletic's Michael Cox, Mark Carey and (award-nominated) Liam Tharme reflect on all the midweek Premier League and Champions League action. The panel discuss best-practice when taking a corner *cough Chelsea*, how to Gabriel Martinelli's form, a quietly impressive display for Spurs' Pape Matar Sarr and why PSG keep making the same old mistakes in Europe. Produced by Adonis Pratsides *** • Visit betterhelp.com/TACTICS today to get 10% off your first month • Building a bet just got easier! Visit livescorebet.com to find out more about how to make your selections today! 18+ only Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How is Ten Hag getting the best out of Marcus Rashford? Which London-based club are the worst at shooting in the division and who is the most left-footed? Host Ali Maxwell is joined by The Athletic's Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme, to explore what the data tells us about your favourite Premier League team... Which young goalkeeper has the lowest save percentage, who are the most fouled team, which unlikely Big 6 club needs to 'get it in the mixer' more often and more 'pub ammo' for the PPDA generation! *** • Get a FREE 1-year supply of immune-supporting Vitamin D AND 5 FREE travel packs with your first purchase at athleticgreens.com/epl Produced by Adonis Pratsides Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Harry Kane's 267th goal for Spurs in their 1-0 win over Man City last week, put him clear of the great Jimmy Greaves as Tottenham's all-time leading goalscorer. In this week's bonus offering, host Ali Maxwell is joined by The Athletic's Mark Carey and Liam Tharme to dissect a truly incredible achievement... Can we chart his evolution into a more 'complete' player by analysing his shot locations over the years, how many different types of goals can Harry score and at which point (and under which manager) was Kane at his absolute peak? Plus - if he were to leave Tottenham this summer - which European giant would be the best fit and is he on course for Alan Shearer's Premier League record of 260 goals too? Produced by Adonis Pratsides Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

No signings in January and Anthony Gordon off to Newcastle - so what chance does Sean Dyche have of avoiding Premier League relegation with his new Everton side? Host Ali Maxwell is joined by The Athletic's Michael Cox, Mark Carey & Liam Tharme to explore... Where can Dyche look to instantly improve them, despite a baptism of fire against league-leaders Arsenal and the small matter of a Merseyside derby? What can we learn from the numbers behind his Burnley team and who in this current Everton squad can benefit most from his arrival? *** Get 20% Off and FREE shipping with the code EPL23 at manscaped.com Produced by Adonis Pratsides Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A 'tempo dictator', 'metronome' with a 'youthful exuberance', The Athletic's Mark Carey and Liam Tharme join host Ali Maxwell, to put Chelsea's British transfer record-breaking signing - Enzo Fernandez - under the microscope... How versatile is he and how well will he adapt to Graham Potter's burgeoning Chelsea team? Plus more on his impressive passing repertoire, whether or not he is the ideal candidate to replace the departed Jorginho and why he's an outlier in more way than one, in terms of British record signings. Produced by Adonis Pratsides Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Erling Haaland has scored 25 Premier League goals already. Enough to win the Golden Boot in 12 of the last 30 seasons (16 if you he'd be willing to share the award) - but has he made Manchester City better? Host Ali Maxwell is joined by The Athletic's Michael Cox and Mark Carey to investigate... How is performing against his expected goals tally and are there any signs that he'll slow down in the second half of the campaign? Are City better as both an attacking & defensive unit with Haaland in the team and how has his arrival impacted his team-mates - most notably Kevin de Bruyne. Plus, as Pep Guardiola surpassed 500 top-flight league games in management, how are City 'evolving' once again and how the 22-year-old Haaland is already becoming a more complete footballer under his tutelage. Produced by Adonis Pratsides Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Having narrowly missed out on Mykhailo Mudryk and with reports suggesting Leandro Trossard could be on his way to the Emirates, host Ali Maxwell is joined by The Athletic's Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme, to bust some myths about Premier League squad depth and the accusation that Arsenal's squad is still too thin to win the Premier League... The panel delve into the history books to see how many players it really takes to lift the title, how previous winners have acted in the January transfer market, how cup-runs factor into the equation and if versatility trumps sheer quantity? Plus, how a lack of rotation during Liverpool's 63-game season last year contributed to a downturn in results lately, if Graham Potter simply has too many players at Chelsea and how substitution coaches and five subs rules have changed the game. Produced by Adonis Pratsides Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Once described by Jurgen Klopp as 'the architect of their success', why have Liverpool failed to replace Georginio Wijnaldum? Host Ali Maxwell is joined by The Athletic's Mark Carey and Liam Tharme - for a bonus podcast - to scout for some potential reinforcements from around Europe and in the Premier League... The panel dive into the data to produce a handful of midfielders the club could look to in the transfer market and revisit how good Wijnaldum actually was in Liverpool's title-winning season of 2019/20. Plus, how and why Klopp's midfield has evolved into a more 'creative' than 'functional' one and if the centre of the pitch is ultimately to blame for a downturn in results this season? Produced by Adonis Pratsides Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Ali Maxwell is joined by The Athletic's Liam Tharme and Mark Carey, to assess what January loanees Joao Felix and Wout Weghorst will bring to Chelsea and Manchester United respectively... Are Felix's numbers reliable given the system in which Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid play and are we allowed to completely ignore Weghorst's stint at Burnley last season? The panel also reflect on Chelsea's wider tactical problems, how Graham Potter succeeded at Brighton and whether Weghorst's arrival simply buys United more time to find a marquee striker this summer? Produced by Adonis Pratsides Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Ali Maxwell is joined by The Athletic's Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme for a closer look at Antonio Conte's Tottenham Hotspur... As second-half comebacks have become almost routine at Spurs, our panel investigate the tactical issues, squad limitations and off-field drama at the heart of the phenomenon. Plus, Kane and Son's role reversal, an over-reliance on Kulusevski for creativity, problems building out from the back, how good their summer transfer window was in hindsight and which January targets could really help this month. *For more on Spurs why not check out our twice-weekly Tottenham podcast 'The View From The Lane', available wherever you get you podcasts. Produced by Adonis Pratsides Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ali Maxwell is joined by the Athletic's Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme to breakdown the world cup final - one of the most remarkable games of football you'll ever see and a contender for the best final of all-time. Amidst all the drama and narrative, how was the game actually won and lost? From Messi's calmness in the big moments, to Di Maria's crowning performance, to Mbappe's ultimately forlorn heroics, our panel pore over the detail and analyse every aspect of this unforgettable occasion. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Ali Maxwell and The Athletic's tactics writers, Michael Cox and Liam Tharme, dissect the World Cup semi-finals and ponder the big tactical questions facing Didier Deschamps and Lionel Scaloni ahead of Sunday's final... Is Griezmann a 'complete' footballer, how Thuram's introduction wrestled control back from Morocco and how 'Scaloni roulette' nullified Croatia's midfield. Plus, the various selection headaches facing both managers - Di Maria, Rabiot, Konate and more. Will Morocco have any regrets about tweaking their shape for France and will Croatia come again after Luka Modric's last World Cup? Produced by Adonis Pratsides Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Ali Maxwell is joined by The Athletic's Michael Cox and Mark Carey to assess the World Cup final 4... What tactical lessons might Morocco learn from England's plan for Kylian Mbappe? Could Argentina's 'ill-discipline' cost them, and Messi, a place in Sunday's final? Is Griezmann actually leading the race for the Golden Ball? And how Croatia have improved since the World Cup final in 2018. Plus, the proper order for a successful World Cup penalty shoot-out and why big inquests in to Brazil and England's World Cup exits are unnecessary. Produced by Adonis Pratsides Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Ali Maxwell returns and joins The Athletic's Michael Cox and Mark Carey to explore the tactical system behind Brazil's beautiful football... The similarities with both Manchester City and Arsenal, playing two number 10s in an era of none and their philosophical evolution since the 'dark days' of 2010 and 2014. Plus, Casemiro's quality, Raphinha's role as creator-in-chief and if set-pieces are still an Achilles heel? The panel also discuss what they have in common with fellow quarter-finalists France - and how England should set up against them on Saturday. Why Argentina are such a 'throwback', the 'functional' Netherlands and how much happier everyone in Portugal's attack looked without Ronaldo. Produced by Adonis Pratsides Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Athletic's Mark Carey, Michael Cox and Ahmed Walid pause to reflect on the conclusion of the World Cup group stages...  The panel discuss the strength of England's last-16 opponents Senegal, as well as Argentina's aggression and Messi in a more classic false-9 role. Whether it's actually fair to judge Australia by their low xG numbers and how else to decide between two teams level at the end of the group stage besides fair play! Ahmed reckons Morocco's Hakim Ziyech is back to his 'Ajax best' and Michael explains why Belgium's golden generation have already won. Plus, Spain's Achilles heel and how Japanese tinkering almost cost them a place in the knockout stages.  Produced by Adonis Pratsides Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices