Touchline Theory

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 disciples get you up to speed.

Do tune in :)

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Find Martin @MG_theory2, and Will @WA_theory!

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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 classic question: what is tempo? .. and maybe why should we care?

As they soon find out, the term is hard to define. It carries musical analogues that can help us begin to grasp the concept, but a range of discussions surrounding units of measure leaves Martin and Will with a full appreciation for the difficulty at hand. Do touches slow the play down? What about passes? What about time on the ball? What happens when everyone sprints but the ball stays still? Vice versa? Does territory matter? Should this be split into x and y terms? If CBs ping the ball back and forth, can that clog our devised metrics? Is this a collective or individual thing? What do other smart folks in the field think? Are any of them right? Are any of them wrong?

The gang proceeds to investigate how tempo might impact scouting and the transfer of skills from one environment to the next. They chat about about the distinctions between attacking and defending tempos--who sets them, who responds, and the importance of changes or stable game pace. Is dT/dT the *real* term of value in all of this? Perhaps.

Are there some players that have the special ability to manipulate tempo on the fly? How does this compare to other sports like basketball? Doing some players accelerate or decelerate the play? How do individuals impact resistance to fluidity, or add some verve to the ongoing play? Is there anything empirically better about high tempo? Can we do less without knowing what more is?

Join us to hear our thoughts on all these items, and more--including a consistent misuse of Dan Burn as a quintessential Peter-Crouch-esque tall striker when he's actually a centerback (we'll apologize for this next week), Marcus' podcast debut, 120 bpm (unitless), Florian Wirtz the conductor, moral relativism, a dose of dashpot molasses, and a redacted skebop! for good measure.

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Find Martin @MG_theory2, and Will @WA_theory!

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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 the table. Let's hop in.

The show begins with a discussion on fatigue. One of the main reasons players get subbed, at all, is because their tired--but how exactly does exhaustion impact performance? Switching gears, Martin & Austin chat about some of the cognitive challenges that can come with replacing anyone at all--perhaps suggesting that the original conviction was erroneous. Many coaches feel reluctant to make changes since it inherently proposes that they may have made a mistake in the starting xi. Things continue to wind towards the art of timing subs optimally. How late is too late? When should you bring players on? Are time-wasting extra-time subs actually wasteful? Does that strategy even work?

From here, the convo goes psychological, as the duo aim to pick apart the mental side of things. Coming on in the 92nd minute--even if your interruption of the game's intensity does, in fact, help earn the team a win--sucks. It's plain and simple. So when you have a full bench of players who might get thrown on in the 60th, or the 92nd, how do you keep them motivated? The two run through a few examples of social dilemmas that may be encountered in situations of this ilk.

There's more to all of this, too. are there better ways to engage the bench in problem solving during the match? What kids of questions should we ask the bench to keep their minds active? Are there subtle ways to reframe the role of a sub so as to make it clear how important they are to potentially disinterested people? Does the route of altering nomenclature to solutions or finishers make an effectvie sugar coat, or is it all nonsense?

Before ducking into the lockerroom, Martin peppers Austin with a few final curiosities. Should you ever sub first? Should you ever sub more than one player at once? How long do you wait until it's safe to make your final sub? What happens when you, or they, go down to 10 men?

Emerging from the dugout, the conversation springs right back into things after the whistle. It all starts with youth players, and how there's an emerging idea that prodigious talents must learn, at the pinnacle of their young successes, how to play a role (substitute) that they'll likely never played before. When you ascend through the academy, it's likely because you're dominating every minute--yet, when you take the field for the first time, you probably won't be a starter. How does that work> How can you teach players to earn their full, first team chances from the bench? Does the need to prove oneself cause some to deviate from their optical actions?

Next up is the idea of a subs coach, pioneered by Wimbledon in recent times, and as reported by The Athletic and Tifo's YouTube Channel. Sammy Lander, the man of the hour, is fully in charge of those player who'll eventually come in. He warms them up for 15 minutes, on the field, while the rest go in for a halftime talk. This seems really compelling--but the question may be asked: does this further fracture the social divide between starters and subs? If not, then it sounds like a solid idea.

Measuring the impact of subs can be difficult, too, if they have a certain runway necessary to get fully engaged with a game. Stats collection might be swayed by this and need correcting.

Lastly, the discourse leads to 5 subs. If the world does this, permanently, what changes? Tactically, what might unfold? How does this disproportionately benefit larger teams--or perhaps even smaller ones? Will talent hoarding become more egregious? Where might this all end up?

Join us to hear our thoughts on all these...

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 with anyone in the dressing room is an advisable thing to do. It goes without saying that Koeman's prickly feud with the wide-eyed, handsome, young Ricard hasn't improved his approval ratings. We ask: once you've singled a player out like that, is there ever really a way back?

That being said, Koeman also did some fantastic things. He was the atomic bomb, the necessary punching bag when Barca needed a more villainous character to distract from the real evil elsewhere. He shook up the lockerroom. He spoke his mind. And most importantly--he fielded a ton of teenage talents.

The convo continues to chat about modern fanbases' inability to accept short term pain, under any circumstances. Why might the manager job description be the most nebulous the world has to offer? What is the role of the coach anymore? To win? To play "well"? To promote youth? To promote nostalgia? To beat rivals? To appease the board? To operate sustainably? What's *actually* the requirement for staying in charge?

Furthermore: Will Klopp's legacy be tainted if he wins more trophies? Did people unfairly condemn Lampard? Is Graham Potter the next big thing? There's plenty of konundra to discuss.

This discourse leads to a few additional questions. Are top managers at a shortage right now? Are worse clubs feeling more emboldened than ever? Can mentality coaches survive anymore? IS the tactical baseline steadily rising? Is there any incentive to a coach who paves the way for their successor?

The knot is eventually tied with some optimism regarding Xavi's impending appointment. Will & Martin cover their respective ideas as to how a club can actually escape this vicious spin cycle of being "good enough", but not "good enough". It's nice to finally have an ounce of closure on the issue.

Join us to hear our thoughts on all these items, and more--including a phantom thumb injury, some meaningless tale about changing oil and the New England Revs, a dose of Sakho-Klopp YouTube friction, the debut of the "Ole Say" Gameshow, the tall poppy syndrome, some high-level Conte-nt, Will's well-illuminated bone structure, and another word from our newest sponsors: Hooligang.

Find us on Twitter @touchlinetheory.

Find Martin on Twitter @MG_theory2, and Will @WA_theory! Don't forget to subscribe and earn three free Hooligang tokens! Whatever that means!

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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 moronic, albeit still somewhat substantive show yet. Woo!

We start with a new segment, whose name we'll leave as a present for those who tune in, where we discuss all sorts of ranging topics. From Koeman's dismissal and Gladbach's 5-0 victory over Bayern, to David Alaba and Manuel Locatelli, it's a news reporting bonanza up in here.

Following the bit, the fellas reveal their second momentous occasion of the evening--and boy is it momentous.

As Will proceeds to take the reigns, he begins the chat by commending Liverpool. It's short and sweet, and without much need for elaboration, as he soon sidesteps quickly to the elephant in the room. We must analyze United's baffling performances, on the field.

There's a reminder of the match's main events, including Ronaldo's awesome gut-punt (very nice Cris!), and some general commentary regarding the symbolism of each key event. This segues into some details revolving United's structural problems, an ineptitude when it comes to the fundamentals, an utterly illogical recruitment strategy, and more. Martin hammers home the notion that United are amidst an identity crisis, full of tactical and directional uncertainty. They rip blankets, don't curve their pressing runs, and leave only 2 miserable soldiers in their largest, most vulnerable spaces.

In the second half (or third third, I suppose), Will leads as the lads take on the bigger questions. Why is Ole still here? What do the Glazers want? Is there anything shared between the desires of the fans and the owners? What are Ole's tactics? Why did he get here in the first place? Is he an impostor or actually completely ideal?

There's some talk on his good qualities, though it only lasts momentarily, before Martin exposes a curated list of total incongruencies within the United squad. Sancho works when he has overlapping wingbacks. Wan Bissaka works when you don't want them. Time and time again, this team reminds us of what it means to be a walking contradiction. Do they want to possess? Do they want to counter? Do they want to press? Do they want to hunker down? Do they want a team for the future? Do they want a team for now?

As the soul searching comes to a temporary pause, Will closes with the argument that perhaps this is exactly what United wants. And while it sounds like almost an insult .. here us out, because maybe it is.

PART TWO coming soon.

Join us to hear our thoughts on all these items, and more--including a suspiciously robbed PSG player, Burtis Clones getting his ass kicked for no reason, a Liverpool fan that just can't stop watching United, a Pogbaian tragedy, some expected van Gaal and Mourinho juxtapositions, a montage of Touchline Theory best obscure references, Martin's abysmal Fabian Delph impression, Will's formidable Dust-Up prospects, and (speaking of) our brand new, esteemed sponsor: Hooligang!

Find us on Twitter @touchlinetheory.

Find Martin on Twitter @MG_theory2, and Will @WA_theory! Don't forget to subscribe and earn three free Hooligang tokens! Whatever that means!

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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 pondered how to genuinely understand what differentiates the good from the bad players in net. Height, vocal projection, confidence, and other intuitive psuedo-metrics like perceived diving technique have given them clues in the past, but left them with more questions than answers. Today, Aidan--a member of the Soccer Detail blogging group and former FC Gronigen, Bristol Rovers, and Ohio University analyst--joins the show to teach the lads a thing or two about the art of understanding this niche position.

To start, the conversation delves into how we can first separate these players into buckets--3 or 4 that can refine our high-level understanding of any given GK candidate. We can pretty easily categorize wingers, lets say, into inverted or traditional ones, or centerbacks into the newly-popular cats and dogs, but how does this work for the gloved fellas in goal? With that in mind, Aidan digs deeper and touches upon the cognitive side of protecting the goal, in conjunction with the technical requirements needed for success. It's hard to do nothing the whole game and come up big when it counts--yet that's exactly what these players are tasked with. The trio then discuss a few common misconceptions about height thresholds and the ostensible craziness requirement to face a firing squad, before jumping into the nitty gritty.

Here, Aidan leads the way as he explains a variety of sources from which we can find data on the world's elite goalkeepers. Within these hubs, he elaborates on what various metrics mean, like PSxG, save %, launching, exits, and more. He makes sure to tie these back into the buckets from earlier, enhancing our comprehension of which stats matter most to each type of player. With these quantifiable tools in hand, we can then embark on a journey to understand exactly what each GK brings to the table, rather than solely relying on our amateur eye tests. Some are better off their line, others more involved in buildup, and others still are keeping more goals out than they probably should. This is much more sophisticated than a superficial tag, and lets us appreciate many of the finer details imbedded in the GK role.

As we march into the second half, Martin & Will put Aidan to the test, by challenging him to use Wyscout to find viable replacements for several squad-building challenges. These fabricated problems start with a potential Spanish-speaking, under €1M, shot-stopper for an expansion MLS team looking to avoid the bottom spot in their first year. Taking the "GM's desires" and converting them into actionable criteria, M & W follow Mr. Reagh as he whittles down a list of hundreds of goalies to a select handful, eventually proposing 2 that just might fit the listed requirements. These scenarios continue, as a search is outlined and executed for new Roma, Ajax, and Hertha Berlin GKs, too.

The episode finishes off with a rapid-fire round of "prospect brass tacks", in which our co-hosts shoot a few popular, young keeper names at Aidan, as he responds with the angles of their game he finds most or least impressive--from just a quick look at their numbers. Guys like Unai Simon, Illan Meslier, and Alban Lafont are placed under the microscope to see if they're really worth the hype, and what we might expect from them, moving forward.

Join us to hear our thoughts on all these items, and more--including a traumatizing groin shot, Will's infatuation with a certain cross-pond T-Rex, Martin's water-soaked-keyboard-he-caused-right-before-recording-but-never-actually-speaks-about, Keylor Navas' tragically average optics, Martin's...

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, discussing whether or not the nightlife in Nashville really compares to that in Ibiza. They conclude .. nothing, really, and simply express disappointment with the fact that it happened. We shouldn't rip the kid apart, but he probably shouldn't wear the captain's armband either. Maybe we should just quit talking about it! Next up, Jose Mourinho's Italian, attacking vengeance. Pellegrini and Mkhitaryan behind a striker with a chip on his shoulder? Yes please. Speaking of strikers--we couldn't go another second without discussing Luuk de Jong's entrance to the Camp Nou. Will checks Martin's footballing privilege, but the sentiment remains that he's tired of looking for silver linings with recent business. Our Liverpool supporter then goes on to lament a situation of his own, in which he feels Liverpool are still riding on the coattails of their 2018 successes. Harvey Elliot, as much as we love him, can't play 3 positions. White whale, where are you, now? To wrap up, Martin shares the release of his summer dissertation on scanning behavior, and the pair share a lovely bite of New Jerseyan pasta before the whistle. There are no Leftovers.

Le second half commences with an actual interest in getting this damn episode on the road! Martin introduces the topic of the day--a twist on incentivization. The carrot and the stick is an artform, he argues, not an empirical truth like many believe. When we look to teach new things, we can place cookies in places only those who are successful can reach, so depending on where we put them--and whether the treat is a warm White Chocolate Macadamia or stale Oatmeal Raisin--we can cleverly draw out strong habits, and be more effective coaches. Will interjects that the direction in which this idea is going is total malarky, and that he doesn't think it has legs. Tough crowd! But Martin insists. He'll thank his co-host later.

They dive headfirst into a role-play exercise (oooooh!) in which Martin walks Will through the assignment of point values to various objectives in Reroute--a game he just published within the context of the recent Soccer Detail blog post. They carefully work through it, until Will effectively exposes a critical improvement that could've been made. They dial it in, and Martin eventually settles on the fact that he should never publish again without showing Will first! Regardless of the details, their chat exposes just how subjective the operation of these levers can be, and allows the duo to steamroll right ahead.

Now, for the actual meat and potatoes! Recently, Martin had wondered whether or not loss aversion, a cognitive bias well-ingrained in behavioral economics and decision theory, could be implemented as a more effective learning tool than mere positive rewards. Earn $50, or have it taken? Yikes. I'll clutch my purse. Maybe I'll start observing the field more if the keys to my new Lambo are in jeopardy.

And so M & W proceed to outline how this seemingly problematic psychological fallacy could be flipped as a productive method. The discussion is deep and full of disagreement--precisely the debate needed for a new idea like this.

Join us to hear our thoughts on all these items, and more--including Schrödinger's PoisonBerry, Liverpool's newest 5'3" white-toothed signing, Martin's longing for Aritz Aduritz, a training game in which Henderson can finally be publicly applauded, a cute concert-esque light display down in Samtown, negative blue points, a cascade of 45'+45' obscenities, Will's impressive conceptual-skeet shot, an allusion to some upcoming shenanigans, and a weird coughing fit to...

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 angle of being self-proclaimed "soulless American soccer fans", fellas that rarely get to grace the beauty of Europe's finest grounds in person, but this is the archetype of many football "hinchas" around the world; their voices ought not be forgotten!

A winding chat begins with discussing states of flow that can be brought on by the ultras' drumming, the impact of whistling and jeering on player psyche, and the seemingly counterintuitive stats that show how the home field advantage has lost its luster--and has even become a home field disadvantage--during the covid lockdown. The two go back and forth piecing together rationales for why this might be the case, why it disproportionately affects some leagues, and why top clubs with new stadiums experience different things than those treading water towards the bottom. Martin invokes the commonly discussed TT Pod notion that some teams play in fear of their own fans, making a living by trying to live up to someone else's expectations and a legacy that was established long before they arrived, plus, how that can hurt clubs that refuse to let go of their more successful past. Our hosts ponder whether football loses all significance if there's no one to partake in the make-believe with the players, no one to give importance to kicking a ball into a net, or finishing somewhere in a table--with comparisons drawn between sport and modern currency--leaving W & M in an existential crisis before the half.

The second half features a total hodge-podge of high level topics, including the idea that pressure from spectators is perhaps what makes the highest level of sport so compelling; these aren't just the best physical specimens, they're the ones that can do it with the world watching. Discussion takes a dive into the idea of emotional contagion as it somewhat relates to the dynamics between players and the crowd, followed by a brief mention of the recent Nice vs. Marseille field invasion fiasco, and ultimately arriving at the question as to whether home field advantage truly comes from the audience, or peripheral factors like sleeping in your own bed the previous evening. The conversation detours for a while to talk cats and broken parking garages, as you'll surely soon learn, until returning to chat referees. Questions are brought up surrounding the simulation of fans via cardboard cutout or broadcast audio overlays, and Will enters an eloquent monologue as to whether or not the silence actually made the game far more peaceful (and arguably, easier to connect to) than ever before. Things tie off with a foray into the away goals ruling from UEFA and its fan underpinnings.

Join us to hear our thoughts on all these items, and more--including a delirious dialogue on heatstroke, Will's adoration for his fellow Liverpool fans, throat-punching for beginners, Martin's disdain for certain feline social gestures, an analysis of how to be bald and break concrete to stop fights (incurring insomnia in those who watch), a fantastic multiple-octave rendition of The Leftovers' heart-wrenching soundtrack, another Harvey Elliot cameo, the return of the Elland Road mafia, leeching parasites, and why holographic spectators is one host's worst nightmare.

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Find Martin on his new Twitter @MG_theory2, and Will @WA_theory! Don't forget to upvote on Wordpress.

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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 reminiscent of the golden days. Chelsea are hopeful that they've found their "next Drogba" in Lukaku, while Barca fans can't help but compare Yusuf Demir's gait to the ghost of Messi, and Liverpool assesses whether their next striker replacement ought to fit the Firmino role, or not. There's an incessant need to compare and draw parallels, so we ask, is this helpful, or actually detrimental?

Join us to hear our thoughts on all these items, and more--including the crappy way in which Martin missed Di Maria's game winning chip, Will's Raheem Sterling ballon d'or backing, Harvey Elliot as the next cube, the actually positive similarities between Koeman and Lampard, and this year's lucky recipient of TT's world's hottest teen award!

Find us on Twitter @touchlinetheory

Find Martin on his new Twitter @MG_theory2, and Will @WA_theory! Don't forget to comment on Spotify.

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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 football. It's quite the claim, especially coming from a player at the pinnacle of the sport, so we had to dive into it.

The first half includes remarks on the individual vs. the collective--and how perceptions of appreciation and alienation have transitioned throughout generations. The purpose of sport has gotten muddied over the years, and for some, that's only given more oxygen to this trend in the ostensibly wrong direction. Players don't take long shots, they don't take defenders on 1v1, and the focus on systems over single-unit brilliance, that's been driven by the incessant need for optimization, has harmed the glittering angles of the sport anyone (even those not-ordinarily enamored with football) can enjoy. It's less accessible, in a way, and muted. People respond to unpredictability, but we've transitioned to favor predeterminism.

The duo also chat about media and money, performance and stat-based contract bonuses, The Reel Problem and selective memory, online ruthlessness, and the disappearance of the sensitive number 10. They carry the convo towards a few notes on VAR, UEFA's own goal rules, and cap off a more pensive episode with some hopes for the future. Perhaps our evolution is cyclical--perhaps it isn't.

Join us (especially you, Gareth) to hear our thoughts on all these items, and more--including Will's absolute favorite moment from the Germany England match, (speaking of which) another reality-jinxing loose-goose fiasco, some comments on the sexual counterattacking crescendo that VAR simply ruins, an pertinent own-goal insight, Pedri's long-distance banger, The Gold Power Ranger, and the burial of Giovanni van Bronckhorst's 4th of July celebration.

Find us on Twitter @touchlinetheory

Find Martin on his new Twitter @MG_theory2, and Will @WA_theory! Don't forget to comment on Spotify.

Subscribe and send us your feedback!