The Double Pivot: Soccer analysis, analytics, and commentary

As the fixture congestion fades, the race for the top four tightens and the two Mikes are starting to worry about a few clubs. Chelsea and Liverpool drew, which meant little for Chelsea but confirmed some suspicions about Liverpool. Elsewhere, Manchester United, Arsenal and Spurs all failed to get results when they figured they would. Is the hill getting steeper for one or all of them? Finally, the transfer window is closed, so which moves were noteworthy?Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport the show

What do you do when your midfield doesn't really exist? You put Yaya Toure there by himself to hold down the fort behind a tidal wave of attacking options. It nearly worked for Pep Guardiola's side, but there was plenty to unpack from how both teams handled the opposition's approach. The two Mikes break down the match before turning their attention to "the magic of the cup." That's right, they zero in on the biggest matches and storylines in this weekend's FA Cup, from PSG vs. Monaco to Nice's run of form to the suddenly important clash between Real Madrid and Real Sociedad. And if you're saying to yourself, "Hey, those aren't FA Cup stories," well, that's the joke. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport the show

In the most congested part of the schedule for England's top clubs, some seem to be solidifying their style while others are falling off their expected pace. The two Mikes dive into whether the solution to Pep's woes at City is to buy more stars, if it's just too late for Liverpool to make a useful addition in this transfer window, and where they'd strengthen at clubs where there are less obvious holes to fill (United, Spurs, Arsenal and Chelsea). Also, it turns out Hawai'i is very nice, and Caley's dog vehemently objects to the Double Pivot Pod.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport the show

Spurs had a very specific plan to derail Chelsea's epic run of results, and it worked, over and over and over. How did it work? Well, the two Mikes have some ideas about that and a few about what it means for both squads going forward. Then, they run through the issues City is having, and just how concerning they might be down the stretch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport the show

We're not completely sure what happened, but we're here to talk about what did happen when Samir Nasri's Twitter account started fighting with itself. Then, the two Mikes debate whether Bob Bradley was truly given a fair shake at Swansea before handing out midseason awards. But these aren't your garden variety awards, with gems like "Player Most Likely to be Accused of Having a 'Crisis of Confidence' in the Second Half of the Season" award.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport the show

Publicly declare that Chelsea are now sizable favorites to win the Premier League – with a seemingly insurmountable lead – and you'll be met with plenty of doubt. The two Mikes dive deeper into the numbers that explain why it will take something special for anyone else to win the league. Then, they turn their attention to the seemingly endless amount of criticism Mesut Ozil gets (and whether any of it is warranted), before finishing with Southampton and the lack of goals keeping them stuck around seventh. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport the show

Defense presents a lot of problems when it comes to statistical analysis, and it gets very tricky when you start to move beyond chances created or conceded. The easy-to-define link between what players are doing and the endpoint of expected goals and goals on offense isn't so easy to follow backwards from the same result on defense. The two Mikes examine why defensive stats aren't great, and why reacting to what an offense is doing is hard to quantify beyond the reaction itself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport the show

El Clásico never fails to create talking points, but this one was a lot different than most in recent memory, particularly if you start to look ahead in the season. But first, a trip through the Premier League top six and their hijinks. From Liverpool's collapse to Bournemouth, to the weird problems hampering the triumvirate of Arsenal, Manchester United and Spurs, to the bar room brawl that was Chelsea vs. Manchester City. Also, everyone's favorite dog wears a t-shirt.Our sponsor this week is Futchi. Get $20 off a Futchi set with the promo code HOWLER.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport the show

A few surprise candidates snuck into the relegation race, and that makes sorting through the field even more interesting than usual. From West Brom to Sunderland, the two Mikes make the case for the demise or survival of all of the clubs struggling to get out of the cellar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport the show

If you're wondering why RB Leipzig isn't the feel-good story that Leicester City was just a year ago, there are a few things you should learn about the Bundesliga. But before the guys welcome in this week's guest, they examine the "other" three teams chasing the leaders in the Premier League. Our sponsor this week is Futchi. Get $20 off a Futchi set with the promo code HOWLER.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport the show