Much like a United boardroom meeting, this episode starts with shock, disbelief, and a general lack of foresight. We dive into Raphael Varane’s astonishment at Erik ten Hag’s contract extension—before the axe inevitably fell—dissecting how fear-based management in modern football is about as effective as a Chelsea rebuild.

Then, we ask the unthinkable: Could Real Madrid, for all their unrelenting success, finally do what’s eluded them—win a historic treble? More importantly, why do they keep winning the UEFA Champions League while other clubs hoard transfer flops like limited-edition NFTs?

Somewhere in between, we pull out life lessons from Madrid’s European dominance, because if there’s one thing Los Blancos teach us, it’s that persistence, timing, and the occasional Jude Bellingham screamer can get you through just about anything.

They say every journey begins with a single step, but ours begins with a question—how many league titles does Arteta have to throw away before Arsenal realize he might not be The Guy? Three years, three failed attempts, and after last week’s loss to West Ham, we’re wondering if it’s time for a change in the Emirates dugout. We even play matchmaker, suggesting a few names who could finally get Arsenal over the line.

Meanwhile, over in Italy, Udinese’s Luca Lorenzo decided football is a dictatorship, not a democracy—stealing a penalty from his designated taker, scoring, and getting subbed off before the celebration dust even settled. A hero? A villain? Or just a man with a death wish?

Speaking of disasters, Ruben Amorim’s start at Manchester United has been anything but the fresh start the club needed. Eight losses in 15 games, just four wins, and an attack as toothless as a baby’s grin—are we already witnessing yet another doomed Old Trafford reign?

And finally, in Spain, Hansi Flick’s Barcelona are quietly cooking something special. Tactical fluidity, intelligent rotations, and the rise of Dani Olmo as the orchestrator of it all—could this be the dawn of something great?

From tactical breakdowns to outright football anarchy, Through Ball is here to make sense of the madness. Or at least, enjoy it.