Pod tomorrow on this very subject. Any questions for the panel? @zonal-marking.bsky.social @markcarey93.bsky.social @liamtharme.bsky.social

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce wants a dream ending at the World Championships but, whatever happens, the 38-year-old's incredible legacy is assured, writes @liamtharme.bsky.social ⤵️ 🔗 theathletic.com/6615685/?sou...

It’s World Champs week! 🇯🇵 First up, I spoke to Mondo Duplantis’ former coaches @lsu.bsky.social and the Swedish NT 🇸🇪 to understand how he went from child prodigy to doubly Olympic champ and 13x world records www.nytimes.com/athletic/657...

Send in your questions for @theathleticfc.bsky.social Tactics Podcast special mailbag episode! What trend, team, or player has caught your eye from the season so far? Or are there any tactical/data questions you would like us to address? Let us know below! www.nytimes.com/athletic/660...

A piece I’ve wanted to write all summer: why four Jamaican 🇯🇲 field athletes, three of whom were Olympic medalists in Paris, are switching allegiance to Turkey 🇹🇷 I asked Rajindra Campbell (shot put) + Roje Stona (discus) about their decisions in Zürich www.nytimes.com/athletic/659...

Send in your questions now ahead of a mailbag episode of the pod next week. Drop them here, or follow the link below. www.nytimes.com/athletic/660...

No Gabby Thomas in Tokyo. A real shame. She’s out with an Achilles problem which started in May and resurfaced in July. She was the only track athlete with three golds (200m, 4x100m, 4x400m) in Paris, and took silver in Budapest over 200m. www.nytimes.com/athletic/659...

Track coach Gjert Ingebrigtsen, the father of double Olympic champion Jakob and his six siblings, was convicted of hitting daughter Ingrid with a towel but cleared of all of the abuse charges made by his children after a high-profile trial in Norway this year. He speaks to @liamtharme.bsky.social.

Part five of Football Architects — it's a topical one.... This is how the implementation of the FA's England DNA project supercharged the national teams — women, men, and juniors — to the most successful period in their history. W/ @liamtharme.bsky.social: www.nytimes.com/athletic/646...

US T&F trials start today! 🇺🇸 Here’s your preview: • Qualification process • Syd’s switch to 400m flat • Lyles’ 200m defence • Quincy Wilson but not Hall in 400m • Brazier/Muhammad’s comebacks • Houlihan’s return + more Coverage @theathletic.com www.nytimes.com/athletic/652...

Refreshing + insightful chats with Donovan Brazier and Jake Wightman at the London DL 💎 yesterday as two former World Champs attempt comebacks in the 800m and 1,500m Faster races, aggressive tactics, less room for error. US & GB trials soon - both could make Tokyo www.nytimes.com/athletic/650...

Interviewed KJT yesterday ahead of her long jumping in the London DL 💎 Her Paris thoughts and review, chasing Thiam & Hall, reinventing herself and becoming more than a jumper, and her connection with heptathlon 🇬🇧 www.nytimes.com/athletic/650...

ICYMI Episode one of Football Architects on Ajax is available to listen to now! With @michaeljbailey.bsky.social @jacobwhitehead.bsky.social @liamtharme.bsky.social and excerpts of an interview with Jasper van Leeuwen and Ruben Jongkind. pod.fo/e/2f4b77

Episode two of Football Architects is LIVE! This part focuses on the rise of Belgium to No.1 in the world. Featuring @michaeljbailey.bsky.social @jacobwhitehead.bsky.social & @liamtharme.bsky.social pod.fo/e/2f8cce

Had the privilege of chatting to Olympic and World 200m silver medalist Kenny Bednarek for 45 mins Olympics review, his upbringing, racing Tebogo, block starts, relaxing off the bend, JuCo and UO dreams, wanting triple gold in Tokyo, fixing US men’s 4x100 & more www.nytimes.com/athletic/645...

What’s it going to take for Faith Kipyegon to become the first female four-minute miler? I spoke to people from Breaking2 in 2017 (Kipchoge’s sub-two marathon shot) to understand physiological + drafting demands for Breaking4. Spoiler: it’s a huge “moonshot” 🇰🇪 www.nytimes.com/athletic/644...

The end of 2024-25 was a good advert for how youth development in England has been transformed. But no two players have the same pathway — @liamtharme.bsky.social spoke to the Premier League’s Director of Football Neil Saunders and Liam Delap about the nation's talent revolution.

Tomorrow the Tactics pod brings you a classic: Alternative Team of The Season! One player from every club in the bottom half of the table plus one wildcard - send us your suggestions below 👇

Jean-Philippe Mateta: My Game In My Words “I don’t just want to be, ‘JP scores when he makes the run in behind’. I can dribble, I can shoot first touch, I can score with my left or right, and more with my head" @mattwoosie.bsky.social @liamtharme.bsky.social #CPFC www.nytimes.com/athletic/635...

A labour of love for me to fill in on the @theathleticfc.bsky.social tactics pod and talk #NFFC today. @zonal-marking.bsky.social @liamtharme.bsky.social and @markcarey93.bsky.social brought the knowledge pod.fo/e/2c2575

Jakob Ingebrigtsen testified today (he will for 1hr 30 tomorrow too) against his father, Gjert, who is on trial for abuse charges against Jakob and his younger sister Ingrid. A report from day two of the trial, w/ @sigvekvamme.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/622...

NEW POD! It's Champions League review/preview time. We look at the RO16 results and ahead to the quarters. With @michaeljbailey.bsky.social @zonal-marking.bsky.social @liamtharme.bsky.social & @markcarey93.bsky.social pod.fo/e/2b827a

Eddie Howe stressed that, with patience, Lewis Hall would become a top player. He was right. Hall has replaced Trippier’s creativity and brings so much out of Gordon with his underlaps. Involved in all 4 goals v Forest yesterday. Give him his flowers. www.nytimes.com/athletic/615...

Newcastle went with a hybrid defensive approach of a 5-4-1 mid-block and man-for-man press v City. Bounce passes and long balls unlocked them, and Newcastle conceded 3 in a PL first half for the first time under Howe — he called it a “painful watch”. www.nytimes.com/athletic/613...

Chris Wood has now scored 29 goals in 41 Premier League appearances for Nottingham Forest under Nuno Espírito Santo. Since his first game in charge (23 Dec 2023), only Haaland (32), Isak (31) and Palmer (30) have more Premier League goals than Wood.

Ousmane Dembélé is on fire. Only the fourth PSG player to score in 8 consecutive games, he’s hit 20+ goals in a season for the first time, and already has more goals in 2025 than 2024. How Luis Enrique switching him from winger to No 9 has unlocked Dembélé. www.nytimes.com/athletic/613...

It’s one year today that Kelvin Kiptum, Gervais Hakizimana, died in a traffic accident. I wrote this piece ahead of the Olympic marathon in August, speaking to those who knew him and raced against him. Kiptum (2:00:35) still holds the WR from Chicago in 2023. www.nytimes.com/athletic/568...

George Mills breaks Josh Kerr’s UK 3000m record with 7:27.92. The 25-year-old beats Kerr’s mark of 7:30.14 with big win at the Meeting de l’Eure in Val-de-Reuil.

This is absolutely excellent www.nytimes.com/athletic/609... Patrick Mahomes and the secrets of the Dad Bod: What we get wrong about athleticism

Bournemouth under Andoni Iraola: pressing machine, transition monsters and a direct approach on the ball. Analysing their incredible performances this season with @liamtharme.bsky.social #AFCB www.nytimes.com/athletic/609...

Angeliño, I’m applauding. Nothing I enjoy more than seeing a winger or full/wing-back locking off the back-post at a cross from the other side. Such a useful and valuable source of goals and chances.

NEW POD! @michaeljbailey.bsky.social @zonal-marking.bsky.social @markcarey93.bsky.social & @liamtharme.bsky.social provide a key statistic for EVERY team in the Premier League! Plus, as promised, a fantastic quiz by Mark. Enjoy! pod.fo/e/2a64b0

Morgan Rogers joined Aston Villa on February 1 2024. Since then, he has: ▪️ Helped Aston Villa finish fourth in the Premier League ▪️ Earned a senior England call-up ▪️ Played a key role in Villa securing a place in the Champions League last 16 ▪️ Scored a hat-trick in the UCL Not a bad year.

La crise continuera One away point all season, key players sold, poor investment on money made from good sales in the past, a lack of a core in the squad. Sad times at Rennes currently

"I’d hate for athletics to just be considered an Olympic sport, which a lot of people would label it as." Jake Wightman talks through his British indoor 1000m attempt at the Keely Klassic, evolving athletics and recovery from injury 🏃 ✍️ @timadams1.bsky.social

Manchester United have made their smartest signing for a while: a sprinting coach. Harry Marra’s CV is as impressive as it is long and varied. United were injury-hit last season, and there’s so many gains to be had. Coaches need to be coached too. www.nytimes.com/athletic/609...

Coming of age performances from Barcola and João Neves last night against Manchester City. They’ve been excellent in Ligue 1 but making the step up to UCL is something else. Lucho has his Verratti and Mbappé replacements. www.nytimes.com/athletic/608...

"I think that keeping the people interested [outside of the Olympics], giving them something to watch, to come to and being a part of is really important." World indoor pole vault champion Molly Caudery on why the Keely Klassic is so important.

Leny Yoro, Sven Botman, Benoit Badiashile — and now #MCFC's Abdukodir Khusanov. When Premier League clubs go shopping for defenders, they tend to cast their net in Ligue 1 — but why? @jacobwhitehead.bsky.social & @liamtharme.bsky.social explain. 🔗 bit.ly/4hn9QqW

Recent weeks, and two goals against Villa proved it, show that Arsenal are a genuine threat from byline crosses. In Saka’s absence, Trossard & Martinelli are being creative, but Arsenal have regressed in defending their own box. Tactical whac-a-mole for Arteta. www.nytimes.com/athletic/607...

Brighton have attempted the most dribbles in Europe’s top-five leagues, and it isn’t a good thing. A piece on why it is at the roots of their creativity/game management issues and a reflection of squad imbalances (depth of wingers, lacking passing midfielders). www.nytimes.com/athletic/605...

Arne Slot recently said, "Deep runs are probably the most important thing in football.” I used SkillCorner data to look at the different styles of such runs in behind across the Premier League. @theathleticfc.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/605...

5 of Graham Potter’s first 6 Premier League games with West Ham are London derbies. Neither he (in London derbies with Chelsea, or Brighton v Palace matches) nor West Ham have good records recently in derbies. Both need to change that quickly. www.nytimes.com/athletic/605...

Valencia does it again. The home of men’s and women’s HM WRs, men’s 10km and women’s 10km (mixed) WRs. It’s called the Ciudad del running for a reason 🇪🇸

BRITISH RECORD An unbelievable run from Rory Leonard as he sets a British 10km record of 27:38 at the Valencia 10km 🔥 The previous record was 27:44 and both held by Mo Farah and Emile Cairess 🇬🇧 Nick Rose did clock 27:34 in New Orleans in 1984 but it was never officially recognised by UKA 🏃

Had a theory that inswingers have gone up in the PL. Checked it. They have. Did some more research, ran some numbers, made some viz and watched the tape — here’s how and why. www.nytimes.com/athletic/604...