Episode 123 - We saw the future of Arsenal's best Champions League lineup + Are Spain and Barcelona destroying Lamine Yamal?
Plus Manchester Derby reactions and
On this episode, Patrick and Ted open with the Manchester Derby as City defeat United 3–0, but who should really be worried? Jeremy Doku delivers his best performance, yet City’s problems remain while United’s defensive structure continues to collapse. They then move on to Juventus’ 4–3 win over Inter in a Serie A thriller, Arsenal’s more direct style with Zubimendi, Eze, and Gyökeres, and Aston Villa’s struggles under Unai Emery. The conversation shifts to the importance of set pieces, how clubs train them, and how to get coaches to buy in. Finally, Hansi Flick warns about overplaying Lamine Yamal, the need to protect young players, and bold ideas for football’s rules and competitions close out the episode.
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Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
00:43 - Welcoming Ted & CL week buzz
01:27 - Early season uncertainty
02:35 - Man City 3–0 United recap
03:25 - Doku’s best game
03:59 - United’s attack better, defense shaky
04:55 - Tactical holes & rebuild timeline
05:22 - Media noise & overreactions
05:30 - Amorim’s issues & first goal breakdown
07:48 - United’s resilience vs. tactical flaws
08:42 - Over-spending, poor recruitment, and limited options
09:57 - Glasner & United’s coaching futures
10:37 - City let United have the ball — tactical choice or necessity?
11:38 - Doku & Foden inverted roles
12:31 - Midfield fragility, CL test ahead
12:47 - Haaland dependence & Arsenal clash
13:56 - Juventus vs Inter chaos
14:29 - surprisingly low xG
14:58 - Serie A: set pieces & bangers
15:32 - Juve’s compact shape vs Inter shot selection
16:33 - Çalhanoğlu punishes space
16:41 - Juve “evil” football
17:24 - Tactical adaptations & long shots
17:51 - Long throws trend in PL
18:19 - Elite shooters finding space
19:22 - Arsenal’s new directness
20:00 - Calafiori–Eze–Gyökeres link-up
20:37 - Arsenal’s best transition lineup?
21:16 - Zubimendi brace
21:37 - Aston Villa struggles
22:03 - Ted never believed in Emery
22:39 - Poor attack, dreadful start
23:07 - Bad xG, no goals scored
23:51 - Everton away embarrassment
24:37 - Injuries & signings (Sancho, Elliott)
25:29 - Big spend, poor squad build
26:19 - Emery’s 3rd season curse
27:21 - Midland’s preview curse
27:50 - How Analytics meets set-piece coaching
28:55 - How analysts get buy-in at clubs
29:45 - Recruitment & set piece work
30:39 - Coaches resisting change
31:37 - Brentford examples & connecting credibility dots
33:24 - Training time needed
33:51 - Goalkeeper vision blockers
35:26 - Coaching salaries & value
36:02 - Early adopters sustain edges
36:54 - NFL-style adaptations
38:22 - Isolating weak defenders
38:35 - Garnacho’s long throw lapse
39:38 - Set-piece pioneers
40:21 - Sir Alex Ferguson’s late-career set-piece shift
42:23 - Lower leagues ripe for set-piece edge
43:36 - Player data & career control (teaser)
44:22 - Flick warns on Yamal workload
45:04 - Club vs international risk
46:59 - Young players’ fragility
47:58 - Fabregas & Wilshere comparisons
48:52 - Spain & Barca overplay their stars
49:36 - Hazard, Sterling early peaks
50:25 - Protecting young talent
50:36 - Patreon coming soon!
52:17 - B-roll: lowbrow YouTube football
53:03 - Set-piece arms race
53:20 - Are set pieces a problem? Tony Pulis/Stoke era memories
54:10 - Rule changes: penalties, throw-ins, time wasting
55:16 - American vs. European attitudes to rule changes
56:15 - Trialing rule changes in the Netherlands
57:35 - Why fans resist big shifts
59:18 - Penalty arcs & alternative spots
01:00:15 - UEFA-wide knockout tournament