Exploring what others don't. Hosts Martin & Will dive into uncharted soccer waters, as they try to find answers to the questions that keep them up at night. Tactics, coaching, philosophy, management, psychology, and more. This is Touchline Theory. Swim deeper at touchlinetheory.com, or find us @touchlinetheory on Twitter. For our latest, off the cuff insights, follow Martin @MG_theory and Will @WA_theory on Twitter, too.
…
continue reading
1
18. What makes De Zerbi Ball So Unique? Featuring Jack McCormack
1:34:41
1:34:41
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:34:41
Hiya folks, episode 18 is finally on the cards. In it, in light of his recent appointment to the gilded ~Premier League~, Martín and Will share an insightful discussion with De Zerbi aficionado Jack from the archives. The lads talk all things Sassuolo, Shakhtar, and more. What makes this fella so interesting? What better than to let one of his disc…
…
continue reading
1
17. What is Tempo and How Can We Quantify It?
1:28:06
1:28:06
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:28:06
Oh Baby! Episode 17! Touchline Theory returns after another lengthy hiatus, fueled by the emotional impetus delivered by our newest number one fan. Hailing from Brisbane, Australia--Jonathan, we welcome you to the family! Today, our dynamic duo waste little time recapping the months they've been out of commission, and instead leap headfirst into a …
…
continue reading
1
16. Are We Doing Subs Completely Wrong? Featuring Austin Reynolds
1:52:55
1:52:55
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:52:55
Episode 16! Another guest! Today, Austin Reynolds of The Philadelphia Union II, Soccer Detail, and the widely-referenced Spielverlagerung joins the TT Pod to talk all things substitutions. It's jam packed, as the kid--only 24--is a fountain of knowledge (currently taking his USSF A license course) and brings more than his fair share of insights to …
…
continue reading
1
15. How Can We Escape a Cycle of Crippling Mediocrity? PART TWO: The Koeman Konundrum
2:18:31
2:18:31
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
2:18:31
Episode 15! Ronald Koeman Edition. The boys take the second leg of this podcast double header and discuss how the Barca managerial situation bears resemblance to United's recent perils. These challenges have been painfully ongoing--is there any way out? The show starts with some discussion regarding the Riqui Puig saga--and whether picking fights w…
…
continue reading
1
14. How Can We Escape a Cycle of Crippling Mediocrity? PART ONE: The Solskjær Stumper
2:09:57
2:09:57
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
2:09:57
Episode 14! Ole in! The world is on fire, but never fear--the sirens are ringing and we're riding in, in our special suits. Today, on a spicy edition of The TTSP, Will drives a discussion on a Manchester United team that is hopelessly trying to break free of an eternity of water treading. Or are they? It's jam packed with surprises and our most mor…
…
continue reading
1
13. So What Actually Makes a Good Goalkeeper? Featuring Aidan Reagh
2:07:08
2:07:08
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
2:07:08
Episode (lucky number) 13! Welcome to TT's first ever interview episode, with Aidan Reagh. Today, rather than spouting the usual nonsense, Martin & Will sit back, relax, and enjoy a true expert soccer talker's insights. Thank God for that! As two blokes somewhat unfamiliar with the often-separated world of goalkeeping, our co-hosts have long ponder…
…
continue reading
1
12. Can Loss Aversion Help Us Coach Better?
2:44:56
2:44:56
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
2:44:56
Episode 12! Off the back of a hectic transfer deadline finale, the USMNT's wobbly start to the qualifying campaign, Tammy Abraham's explosive start for Roma, and more--our duo sat down to produce our longest intro yet. It's a hodgepodge, but when there's much to say, we say it! In half #1, the fellas dive into the recent Weston McKinnie drama, disc…
…
continue reading
1
11. Was There Something to be Said for Football .. Without Fans?
1:36:40
1:36:40
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:36:40
Welcome back folks. It's episode 11. Amidst the rosy return of fans to stadiums, worldwide, Will leads a discussion as to whether this is truly a delightful thing to witness--or if there are in fact mischievous downsides, lurking in the shadows, to playing in front of an audience. As a critical reminder, the dynamic duo are coming at this from the …
…
continue reading
1
10. Should We All Stop Searching for "Regens"?
1:38:51
1:38:51
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:38:51
Episode 10! Martin & Will return from a lengthy mic-hiatus and catch up on all recent happenings. Argentina's Copa America, Will's new club team job, a quick Euros recap, and Leo's sudden departure. Inspired by a recent conversation with a friend of the pod, today's chit chat surrounded the way in which some fanbases clamor for signings that are re…
…
continue reading
1
9. Is Thiago Right? Is The Magic Gone in Football?
1:07:12
1:07:12
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:07:12
Episode 9! The boys are back with an ironic, somber vengeance. In the aftermath of Spain, Croatia, France, and Switzerland's immensely entertaining Euro 2020 fixtures, Martin leads a discussion on a much less dazzling note--regarding Thiago Alcantara's recent interview with The Guardian in which he proclaimed that the magic has actually slowly left…
…
continue reading
The goose is loose! Episode 8! We've spent another week away from the mic with Will's scenic albeit wifi-free Colorado vacation and Martin's focus being channeled towards his JdP piece, but we're back feeling restored and ready to rumble. This week, Will spearheads a discussion on Robin Gosens, a player he's had his eye on for a while, but who fina…
…
continue reading
1
7. How Did Chelsea Slay the Halfspace King?
1:28:21
1:28:21
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:28:21
The boys are back from the dead! Episode 7 baby! Yeehaw! Martin & Will get the show back on track after a week of Twitter bans, tiresome coaching schedules, and a healthy heaping of TT jinxing to go along with it. Today, they dive into the Champions League Final, as Martin seeks to convince Will that this was, in fact, one of the historic defensive…
…
continue reading
1
6. How Should a National Team Pick Depth?
1:46:19
1:46:19
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:46:19
Episode 6! Let's dive right into it! On the eve of Gareth Southgate's lose-lose decision, tasked with selecting a small cohort of English players from a vast pool of talented options, Will leads a discussion on the challenges of being in his boots. Our hosts start by laying out the candidates for the coveted and controversial right back role, intro…
…
continue reading
Episode 5! Let's talk about branding, baby! This week, Martin leads an exceedingly open-ended discussion on the recent wave of clubs making aesthetic tweaks to storied badges. Ep.5's catalyst was the newly dubbed "Columbus Soccer Club", an MLS team that recently cemented its grassroots foundations through a community based movement, but suddenly pu…
…
continue reading
Episode 4! Crime and punishment edition. Today, Will poses the question of whether yellow cards in football actually do what they're intended to do. The recent catalyst for discussion being PSG's (otherwise known as Petulant Soccer Guys) temper tantrum finish against Man City, alongside some recent Casemiro bookings and Fernandinho not-bookings. Th…
…
continue reading
1
3. Late-game, Why do Teams Abandon Ship?
1:21:18
1:21:18
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:21:18
Episode 3! We're back at it again. This week, Martin leads a discussion inspired by a previous piece hung in the Touchline Theory Museum: "Why the Hail Mary Fails in our Football". The duo dive into why some dominant, albeit losing, teams tend to ring the alarm towards the ends of matches and descend into disorder, rather than staying true to their…
…
continue reading
1
2. Does Soccer Still Have a Place for the One-Trick Pony?
1:13:21
1:13:21
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:13:21
We're back! In this second (and shorter) edition of The Touchline Theory Soccer Podcast, Will spearheads a discussion with Martin on a dying breed of player: the one-trick pony. The duo start by remarking upon the seemingly incredulous rise of two once-overlooked, former reserve team defenders--who've now both proven to be invaluable to their respe…
…
continue reading
1
1. Is the Super League the End of Football?
1:56:27
1:56:27
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:56:27
We're starting off with a bang! After weeks and months of gearing up to host our first edition of the Touchline Theory Soccer Podcast, with due time and preparation, the soccer storks dropped the ugliest of babies on our doorstep--so we had to get the show on the road. Welcome to Episode 1: Super League. Martin and Will tackle the most convoluted o…
…
continue reading