The Athletic FC Podcast

On today’s episode of ‘What If’, Emma is joined by long-suffering Spurs fans Dan Kilpatrick and Kate Mason, alongside Tim Spiers to deduce, what if... Spurs weren’t ‘Spursy’?Lasagne-gate, Conte’s outburst, beefing with the Dulux dog, the choices are endless, but what do we vote the ‘Spurs-iest’ moment in the club’s history?Host: Emma PatonPanelists: Kate Mason, Dan Kilpatrick, Tim SpiersExecutive Producers: Adam Jones, Max Curwen BingleyProducer: Mike StavrouVideographer: Grayson Moody Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’ve got a big weekend of Premier League action ahead of us, so we’re back in the studio for another episode of The Tactical Preview.This week we’re honing in on Spurs vs Coventry, and if Roberto De Zerbi’s team are starting to find their rhythm.Kate Mason is joined by Rob Green and tactics writer Liam Tharme to preview this weekend’s biggest games, including ‘The Roses Rivalry’, as pressure mounts on United boss Michael Carrick.Plus, we breakdown the details on playing versus 10, and how some teams are better set up to do that than others.Host: Kate MasonPanelists: Rob Green, Liam TharmeExecutive producers: Adam Jones, Max Curwen BingleyProducer: Mike Stavrou Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Manchester United continued their poor run of form with a 2-0 loss to Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid on Tuesday night, but it was Lisandro Martinez’s explosive post match interview that grabbed the headlines.Emma is joined in the studio by The Athletic’s Manchester United writer Cerys Jones and Senior Editor Tomas Hill Lopez-Menchero to dig into all the action, plus, Senior sports news reporter Matt Slater explains the IFR’s State of Football report.Host: Emma PatonPanelists: Cerys Jones, Tomas Hill Lopez-Menchero, Matt SlaterFeaturing: Laurie WhitwellExecutive Producers: Adam Jones, Max Curwen BingleyProducer: Jay BealeVideographer: Liam Warburton Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Manchester City's 3-0 win at Liverpool on Sunday felt surreal, with the football itself almost a footnote to the wider picture surrounding City since they were found guilty of almost all the Premier League charges relating to financial breaches.Are all of City's games going to feel this way until the sanctions are delivered? How are their players and fans meant to react? And what did the display say about Liverpool?Host Emma Paton was joined by former England international Rob Green and The Athletic's Manchester United correspondent Cerys Jones to discuss the fallout from Anfield. Plus, does Michael Carrick have more problems than Roberto de Zerbi? And are we worried about Fulham?Host: Emma PatonPanelists: Rob Green, Cerys JonesFeaturing: Sam Lee & James PearceExecutive producer: Adam JonesProducer: Jay BealeVideographer: Lara Sinclair Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's Tactical Preview focuses on one of the biggest games in Premier League history: Liverpool vs Manchester City at Anfield on Sunday.The matchup has been given more significance after the news of City's guilty ruling, so how will the players fare on the day and will it alter their tactical approach?Kate Mason is joined by former England goalkeeper Rob Green and The Athletic's tactics writer Liam Tharme to discuss the game at Anfield, plus Manchester United vs Spurs, Arsenal vs Leeds and Brentford's trip to Villa Park.The panel also discuss the concepts of rest defence and counter-pressing; who does it best and why it is so important.Host: Kate MasonGuests: Rob Green, Liam TharmeExecutive Producer: Adam JonesProducers: Mike Stavrou & Liam Warburton ( Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's What If is centred on the biggest story in town: Manchester City's guilty ruling.Emma Paton is alongside The Athletic's Tim Spiers, Jack Pitt-Brooke and Dan Kilpatrick to discuss who was the most impacted by City's spending, and if that money hadn't been spent, where would the rest of the division be?What if the big signings they made went elsewhere, who else would they have signed in their place and what is an appropriate punishment?Host: Emma PatonCo-hosts: Tim Spiers, Dan Kilpatrick, Jack Pitt-BrookeExec Producer: Adam JonesProducers: Mike Stavrou, Grayson Moody Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who are the best up and coming managers and head coaches across Europe right now?In this episode, Emma Paton, David Ornstein and James Horncastle detail who they think are the ones to watch - from Cesc Fabregas to Regis Le Bris - and discuss the shifting managerial landscape with so many 'big personalities' moving towards the international game.David also discusses Mikel Arteta's new contract and Arsenal and how Manchester City's players will respond to the pressure at Liverpool on Sunday.Host: Emma PatonCo-hosts: David Ornstein, James HorncastleExec Producer: Adam JonesProducer: Mike StavrouVideographer: Grayson Moody Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What If is back with a big topic: VAR. Should the contentious technology continue or should the Premier League vote to scrap it?Emma Paton is joined by Tim Spiers, Dan Kilpatrick and former Premier League referee and VAR Graham Scott to discuss the pros and cons of getting rid of VAR.The panel also discuss the possibility of introducing a VAR challenge system, and other potential improvements to the system.Host: Emma PatonGuests: Tim Spiers, Dan Kilpatrick, Graham ScottExecutive Producer: Adam JonesProducers: Mike Stavrou, Grayson Moody Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Tactical Preview becomes the Tactical Review during the international break, as we look back at the first five weeks of Premier League action.Kate Mason is joined by Rob Green and Duncan Alexander to discuss the trends from the opening stages of the campaign; from expected points, to shot conversion.The panel also break down who has surprised and disappointed them, chatting Leeds and Everton's solid defences to Spurs' slow start.Host: Kate MasonGuests: Rob Green, Duncan AlexanderExecutive Producer: Adam JonesProducers: Mike Stavrou, Liam Warburton, Xavi Bird Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Manchester City have been found guilty of artificially inflating their revenues and reducing costs via "sham payments" in the verdict reached by an independent regulatory commission investigating the charges brought against them by the Premier League.Kate Mason is joined by The Athletic's senior news reporter Matt Slater, at the European Football Clubs general assembly in Copenhagen as well as former England goalkeeper Rob Green to react to the statements released by both the Premier League and Man City.The Athletic's football finance writer Chris Weatherspoon also breaks down the nature of the "sham" payments as outlined by the commission as well as the extent of the owner funding within Man City's ownership group.Our Man City correspondent Sam Lee also joins to discuss City's stance, as the club continue to insist on their innocence and well as saying they will "pursue the appeal avenues open" to them.Host: Kate MasonWith: Matt Slater, Rob Green, Chris Weatherspoon and Sam LeeExecutive Producer: Guy ClarkeProducer: Xavi BirdVideographer: Liam Warburton Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After David Ornstein exclusively revealed Manchester City were found guilty of almost all of the 115 charges relating to breaches of Premier League financial regulations on Friday, we’re here to explain what those charges actually are, what the immediate fallout has been from the verdict, and what happens next.Emma Paton is joined by The Athletic’s senior football reporter Adam Crafton in New York, managing editor of news Luke Bosher and Manchester United correspondent Cerys Jones.Executive Producer: Adam JonesVideographer: Grayson Moody Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Manchester City have been found guilty on almost all of the charges relating to breaches of the Premier League’s financial regulations.In this emergency podcast, senior news reporter Matt Slater is joined by football correspondent David Ornstein and Manchester City correspondent Sam Lee to discuss the breaking news and what it means.Host: Matt SlaterGuests: David Ornstein, Sam LeeExecutive Producers: Adam Jones, Adey MoorheadProducers: Grayson Moody, Mike Stavrou, Liam Warburton Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kylian Mbappe sits down exclusively with Daniel Taylor from The Athletic for a wide ranging interview at Real Madrid’s training ground.In a wide ranging conversation, he revealed how close he came to joining Liverpool before PSG, working with Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid, his favourite World Cup memories and what he does in his spare time to unwind.Hosts: Emma Paton & Danny TaylorGuest: Kylian MbappeExecutive Producer: Alex HoffmanVideographer: Rachael Tinde Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.