Michael Cox (Zonal Marking)+

What am I on about? Well, back in 22-23 with so much focus on distribution, ther

What am I on about? Well, back in 22-23 with so much focus on distribution, there were some laughably incompetent shot-stoppers in the PL. That just hasn't been the case in the last couple of seasons, and now the promoted sides have all invested in - seemingly - big, solid, proper goalkeepers.

Happy new season! One very basic but crucial thing Premier League sides have rea

Happy new season! One very basic but crucial thing Premier League sides have realised over the last couple of years is that you need a goalkeeper who can...actually save shots. This is obviously very important for those at the bottom of the league. ⬇️ www.nytimes.com/athletic/752...

Non-paywalled version is here: www.nytimes.com/athletic/749...

Non-paywalled version is here: www.nytimes.com/athletic/749...

When does a “fast-growing” sport become an established mainstream sport? I went

When does a “fast-growing” sport become an established mainstream sport? I went to the first London edition of the Premier Padel tour to see whether huge participation figures have translated into serious UK interest in the professional game. www.nytimes.com/athletic/749...

Tuchel is right about England's DNA. If anything things are worse in that respec

Tuchel is right about England's DNA. If anything things are worse in that respect than five years ago, due to English football's huge shift towards intensity & set-pieces. Controlling a PL game has become impossible, so don't expect control from England. ⬇️ www.nytimes.com/athletic/746...

The best thing about the hosting of World Cup 2026 was the climate - too hot for

The best thing about the hosting of World Cup 2026 was the climate - too hot for the pressing-above-everything approach that is the scourge of club football. The beneficiaries were the star attackers, the ball-playing midfielders, and in turn the viewers. www.nytimes.com/athletic/746...

For all the moans that modern football has become homogenous, Spain v Argentina

For all the moans that modern football has become homogenous, Spain v Argentina in the World Cup final represents two entirely contrasting approaches to building a team. One is very much system-first, the other is based entirely around Messi. ⬇️ www.nytimes.com/athletic/745...

Same old England. On first viewing I thought Tuchel’s subs were disastrous. On s

Same old England. On first viewing I thought Tuchel’s subs were disastrous. On second viewing, the retreat happened beforehand, a consequence of Argentina pushing on & England being exhausted. The three defensive subs did make sense. Analysis here…⬇️ www.nytimes.com/athletic/744...

Morocco didn't put up much of a fight but France played the game perfectly - mai

Morocco didn't put up much of a fight but France played the game perfectly - maintained four attacking players, let Hakimi wander forward and then attacked into his space. Also some good counter-pressing which has been a feature of this World Cup. ⬇️ www.nytimes.com/athletic/743...

Another World Cup, another round of “the European dominance is collapsing!” afte

Another World Cup, another round of “the European dominance is collapsing!” after a couple of results...then another last eight dominated by Europe. The emergence of serious challengers from around the world, anticipated for decades, still hasn’t happened. www.nytimes.com/athletic/743...

A battling performance from England but they also adjusted well tactically - to

A battling performance from England but they also adjusted well tactically - to the challenge of altitude and then to going down to ten men ⬇️ www.nytimes.com/athletic/742...

Argentina lost the lead four times on their way to success in 2022. They lost th

Argentina lost the lead four times on their way to success in 2022. They lost the lead twice against Cape Verde tonight. Do they switch off too much when ahead? Report from a sensational game in Miami. ⬇️ www.nytimes.com/athletic/742...

A fairly common theme of World Cup-winning sides over the past 40 years: they st

A fairly common theme of World Cup-winning sides over the past 40 years: they start the tournament with four attackers, but drop one to bring in an extra central midfielder early in the knockout stage. Will Didier Deschamps do the same? www.nytimes.com/athletic/740...

An article on Japan, how they constantly find a wing-back free at the far post w

An article on Japan, how they constantly find a wing-back free at the far post with a late diagonal ball, and how this is essentially the same strategy those three Japan players used in that game against 100 school kids. ⬇️ www.nytimes.com/athletic/740...

A big win, a heavy loss and then a creditable draw. Sweden are a bit confusing -

A big win, a heavy loss and then a creditable draw. Sweden are a bit confusing - even to Anthony Elanga who didn’t realise that a draw took them through to the knockouts www.nytimes.com/athletic/739...

Similar moves leading up to the award of the penalty and the opening goal - Mess

Similar moves leading up to the award of the penalty and the opening goal - Messi between the lines and switching play out to Almada on the left, with Medina ready to overlap. They seemed to know there would be space when the Austria winger on the far side tucked in.

Austria's (often effective) counter-pressing broken by Argentina's ability to wo

Austria's (often effective) counter-pressing broken by Argentina's ability to work the ball up to Messi and switch play to the opposite side. Oh, and he scored two goals too and became the outright top goalscorer in World Cup history. www.nytimes.com/athletic/738...

Netherlands 5-1 Sweden was the most tactically interesting game of the World Cup

Netherlands 5-1 Sweden was the most tactically interesting game of the World Cup so far. Formation changes led to massive swings in momentum. Analysis ⬇️ www.nytimes.com/athletic/737...

Two own goals in two games for the United States. A little lucky, sure, but the

Two own goals in two games for the United States. A little lucky, sure, but the focus on attacking quickly down the flanks and hitting low crosses / cut-backs across the six-yard box means there are more own goals in football these days. ⬇️ www.nytimes.com/athletic/737...

Bellingham is a strange player. He’s a “No 10” who never really thrives between

Bellingham is a strange player. He’s a “No 10” who never really thrives between the lines and is more effective either higher or deeper. On the evidence of the Croatia game Tuchel might have worked out how to use him best. ⬇️ www.nytimes.com/athletic/737...

...er, are you sure?

...er, are you sure?

Possibly no-one else apart from me cares about this but: these days, FIFA lists

Possibly no-one else apart from me cares about this but: these days, FIFA lists the USA as finishing 3rd at World Cup 1930. There was no third-place play-off. For years, they & Yugoslavia were listed as joint-third. So why the revisionism? And DID they finish third? ⬇️ www.nytimes.com/athletic/734...

There’s an unusual number of top managers at this World Cup, compared to previou

There’s an unusual number of top managers at this World Cup, compared to previous editions when it felt like it was full of managers 15 years past their peak years. Amid the intensity of 2026 club football, is international management now more rewarding? www.nytimes.com/athletic/733...

32 teams to 48 teams fundamentally changes the World Cup. Here are the probable

32 teams to 48 teams fundamentally changes the World Cup. Here are the probable ramifications: more rotation, more defensive play in the first two games, Africa the major beneficiary. And other things. ⬇️ www.nytimes.com/athletic/732...

A summary of the 2025-26 Premier League season through 10 matches, taking in all

A summary of the 2025-26 Premier League season through 10 matches, taking in all 20 teams. Not a vintage season, but one with very clear themes. ⬇️ www.nytimes.com/athletic/729...

I’ve watched a few of these players play quite badly in the 8th tier in recent y

I’ve watched a few of these players play quite badly in the 8th tier in recent years 😂

Antoine Semenyo is a great FA Cup final winning goalscorer: someone who made his

Antoine Semenyo is a great FA Cup final winning goalscorer: someone who made his FA Cup debut as a sub away at (now) tenth-tier Met Police, who was part of a proper giantkilling when Newport beat Leicester, and is now the hero at Wembley. ⬇️ www.nytimes.com/athletic/728...

I have finally achieved my dream of writing about snooker - I was at the longest

I have finally achieved my dream of writing about snooker - I was at the longest frame in Crucible history yesterday, and here's why the crowd were right to get stuck into the referee a bit and force the issue www.nytimes.com/athletic/724...

An attempt to explain PSG 5-4 Bayern, probably the most entertaining game I’ve e

An attempt to explain PSG 5-4 Bayern, probably the most entertaining game I’ve ever been at. “It is a moment to congratulate the players, the two sides, and all of those present here,” said Luis Enrique. I will take it. www.nytimes.com/athletic/723...

Nico O'Reilly was key to Man City's gameplan yesterday. His unpredictable positi

Nico O'Reilly was key to Man City's gameplan yesterday. His unpredictable positioning caused Arsenal's press problems, and his runs inside Doku into the channel led to good chances. The two factors came together for the winning goal. (free to read) ⬇️ www.nytimes.com/athletic/721...

There might not be many shots to save at the Etihad tomorrow. But the key to the

There might not be many shots to save at the Etihad tomorrow. But the key to the game might be testing the goalkeepers, Donnarumma and Raya, in terms of aerial ability and distribution respectively. ⬇️ www.nytimes.com/athletic/720...

Women's World Cup qualifying: Spain have only lost 3* times in their last 24 - a

Women's World Cup qualifying: Spain have only lost 3* times in their last 24 - all against England. They play into England's hands when they use a proper No9. Surely they need to be a bit cleverer. *one was a draw and a shootout defeat www.nytimes.com/athletic/719...

Everyone used to despair at short corners - but in the context of this Premier L

Everyone used to despair at short corners - but in the context of this Premier League season of they now feel quite refreshing. Here’s how Man City used them to cause Chelsea problems. www.nytimes.com/athletic/719...

Arsenal into the Women’s Champions League semis again - but should probably cons

Arsenal into the Women’s Champions League semis again - but should probably consider a more cautious system when they get there. www.nytimes.com/athletic/716...