The 3rd Circle

In a recent post-match interview, Manchester City playmaker, Rayan Cherki, dared to let slip that he had gone against his manager's wishes.Pep Guardiola is arguably football's greatest ever tactical mastermind, but on this occasion, it appears that his plan was trumped by Cherki's intuition.What does this episode tell us about the relationship between Guardiola and Cherki?Is it a case of trouble in paradise, or could it be a classic example of opposites attract?Jamie and Gorka analyse Cherki's role in this season's Manchester City and assess how Guardiola can get the best out of the maverick forward.We also hear Arne Slot's theories about breaking down low-blocks and end up wondering: where has all the combination play gone? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 3rd Circle shines its analytical lens on Glasgow to investigate some unusual happenings in the city's East End.Jamie and Gorka piece together the logic behind the playing style of Celtic's divisive new Head Coach, Wilfried Nancy.What is Nancy trying to do? Why is he trying to do it?What's he building in there?Can Nancy's odd mix of influences come together to create something beautiful?Stranger things have happened... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Like Santa returning from his annual eleven-month luxury cruise, The 3rd Circle is back just in time for Christmas.And what better gift for the well-behaved kids of the tactics-sphere to receive than this brand new episode?While ruthless tyrants like Mr Claus delegate their elf workforce to trawl through billions of messages and make sense of endless communications, Jamie and Martin can afford no such luxury.Our intrepid hosts dive headfirst into the chaotic maze that is football communication, and soon realise that nothing is what it seems.Deception, encryption, misdirection. Can The 3rd Circle break the codes that are holding football hostage?Modern systems are fed through The 3rd Circle's network of bespoke tactical ciphers, but what information will be revealed?What signals are hidden within the noise? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the match analysis done and dusted, Jamie and Martin delve into the broader narratives surrounding the current footballing moment.The 3rd Circle cross references perspectives and reaction from Rio to Catalonia and wrestles with the complexities of the resultant parallax view.What are the limits of control in contemporary football coaching?How much freedom can be afforded to the players?Is there a deeper symbolic significance to PSG's Champions League victory?There's only one way to find out... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jamie and Martin delve into the details of Paris Saint-Germain's historic 5 - 0 victory over Inter in the 2025 Champions League Final in Munich.What were the tactical aspects that allowed arch-controller, Luis Enrique to claim his second Champions League trophy in such emphatic style? How and why did the game's tactical dynamics play out and how could Simone Inzaghi have responded to help his players?Our hosts discuss the impact and significance of dribbles, positional rotations, pressing aesthetics and much, much more in this special match analysis episode of The 3rd Circle. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.