Real Madrid's Strange Elections

Why Arsenal Plays Like an NFL Team | OKC, PSG & The Future of Football

Jarod Hector and Siddharth Ramsundar dive into a big picture episode about the Champions League Final, the aesthetics of Arsenal and OKC as adopters of ultra-physical play in their sports, legislating those things out of the game, how PSG have gamed the footballing calendar, processing speed and decision making in sports, why early season results are more misleading than ever, why Luka Doncic and Lamine Yamal may be the best players at their sports, and more.

Real Madrid's Strange Elections

Jarod Hector and Siddharth Ramsundar discuss Real Madrid's elections, the announcements of signings by both parties, Florentino Perez's strategy with the election, the pushback against the sale of part of the club, the flaws in Riquelme's campaign, why all the big names feel like a distraction tactic, the potential upsides to Perez's signings, and the risks with Jose Mourinho going forward. We also review the numbers from the election and discuss why overall it is a positive for open dialogue.

The State of Real Madrid

Sid and Jarod Hector return after a hiatus to discuss the state of Real Madrid. Florentino, Riquelme and elections? Jose Mourinho returning? Is there any hope going forward? Plus some updates on the new show.

Toni Kroos' Career In Review

During this international break we bring to you a special throwback edition of the Real Deal. This was Jarod Hector and Siddharth's first episode recording together on the Real Deal on May 21st, 2024, back before the show was a completely independent podcast. We dove deep into Kroos’ immense impact on Real Madrid and the German National Team’s tactical identity, as he brought control to teams that traditionally preferred more heavy-metal, transition-focused approaches to the game. Jarod helps us contrast Kroos and Luka Modric with their predecessors, Mesut Özil and Xabi Alonso. We also explore how Florentino Pérez’s crucial improvements as club president during the Kroos era laid the foundation for an unprecedented period of success.From the historic threepeat to Kroos’ ability to carry the team in the post-Ronaldo seasons, we leave no stone unturned in our analysis of his legacy. We focus on Kroos’ unique ability to control the game and process information on the pitch relative to other greats like Xavi, Sergio Busquets and Thiago, as well as how his unprecedented longevity puts him above most at the position. Included: - How Kroos shifted Real Madrid’s tactical identity after Mourinho - Kroos, Guardiola and Germany’s shifting identity - Contrasting Ozil and Xabi Alonso with Kroos and Modric- Makelele, Tchouameni, and Florentino’s crucial improvements as club president during the Kroos era - Kroos’ impact on Real Madrid’s tactics in 2014-15 - The threepeat years and switching play - Kroos carrying during the post-Ronaldo seasons under Zidane - The de and re-optimization of Kroos under Carlo Ancelotti - Kroos’ hall of fame controlling & cognitive processing skills - Best controlling midfielders of the 21st centurySubjective time and cognitive processing speeds The conversation then ends by touching on the 2024 NBA playoffs (a hot topic at the time) and the rise of Luka Doncic, as we explore the fascinating concept subjective time and cognitive processing speeds in sports.

Arsenal - Real Madrid & Champions League Preview Ft. Ali Elfakharany

Welcome to the new and improved Real Deal Podcast. On today's episode Siddharth Ramsundar is joined by Statsbomb founder (now HUDL Statsbomb) Ali Elfakharany to preview the Arsenal - Real Madrid tie & catchup about the state of European football. Catching up after a long time, we end up casually discussing all the Champions League contenders like PSG, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan and Barcelona, the relative strength of different leagues, the evolution of the game, Mikel Arteta as a coach, and a bunch of other miscellaneous technical stuff. Expect more structure in future episodes, but here's a casual long special to mark our return!