We give out Christmas gifts to soccer players, coaches and media personalities. Our list of recipients includes Tyler Adams, Carlo Ancelotti, the USWNT, Ronald Koeman, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Gregg Berhalter and plenty more.  Today's show is sponsored by Ruffneck Scarves. Use code "TOTALSOCCERSHOW" at http://RuffneckScarves.com for 20% off Today's show is also sponsored by http://FBREF.com — visit the site for all kinds of soccer stats, now including xG and xA.

Ryan and Taylor break down all the action from the weekend, including... 1) Liverpool v Flamengo in the Club World Cup 2) Man City v Leicester Today's show is brought to you by SeatGeek! Use code TSS for $10 off your first ticket purchase 3) Tottenham v Chelsea - What should happen next to combat racism in the Premier League? Plus, possible explanations for Gazzaniga's challenge AND for the lack of an immediate penalty. 4) Everton v Arsenal - Which new manager has the more difficult job ahead of them? 5) Newcastle v Palace - Almiron scores! 6) Watford 2 - Man United 0 (it's just a 4 minute sigh from Taylor) 7) Italian Super Cup (Juventus v Lazio) 8) RB Leipzig v Ausborg, aka The Return of Tyler Adams

Recorded just prior to the official club announcement, Taylor talks to The Athletic's James McNicholas about the appointment of Mikel Arteta as head coach of Arsenal. What will his style be, what are his immediate challenges, and who could be on their way out in January? Plus, we get into the backroom issues causing problems at Arsenal, and discuss Mesut Ozil v China. SPONSORS! Today's show is brought to you by... Audible! Get a free 30-day trial of Audible at http://audible.com/tss or by texting TSS to 500-500 Ruffneck Scarves - Go to http://RuffneckScarves.com and use code TOTALSOCCERSHOW for a 20% discount

Daryl and Taylor answer some excellent listener questions, including... 1) Which competition is more important for the USMNT: Nation's League or the Olympics? 2) All-time best bald/shaved head 11 v All-time big-haired 11. Who wins? Today's show is brought to you by Feals — Makers of CBD oil for when you're a stressed out USMNT manager and you need to relax. Go to http://feals.com/TSS to 50% off your membership 3) Will Red Bull ever take over a club in England and if they do what club will it be? 4) Outside of traditional big sides, who’s been the most impressive player this season? 5) With does Emerson Hyndman fit into the USMNT midfield depth chart? Today's show is brought to you by Audible! Get a free 30-day trial of Audible at http://audible.com/tss or by texting TSS to 500-500 6) Why do Premier League fans wear dark/black jackets to games in the winter instead of their team’s color? 7) Is the "manager's box" an official thing and what are the rules for it/why aren't they enforced more? 8) If Jadon Sancho goes to Chelsea will he overshadow Pulisic again? Today's show is brought to you by Talisman Caps - Use code TOTALSOCCER10 for 10% off at http://talismancaps.com 9) Why are Olympic soccer rosters so small? PLUS! Updates to the TSS Scouting Network!

Taylor is joined by David Amoyal of The Calcioland podcast to get up-to-date on all things Serie A. There's racist artwork at the Serie A offices that someone thought was a good idea, Carlo Ancelotti out at Napoli and Gennaro "I stab people with forks" Gattuso has taken over, a title race between Inter Milan and Juventus (and maybe also possibly maybe Lazio). Plus, praise for Cagliari, Parma, and Atalanta AND some transfer rumors to round it all out! SPONSORS! Today's episode is sponsored by... Enclosed! Go to http://enclosed.gifts and code TOTALSOCCER for $35 off any multi month order Dollar Shave Club! Go to http://dollarshaveclub.com/tss for a $5 Ultimate Start Set Policy Genius! Go to http://policygenius.com and get a life insurance quote in minutes

Taylor is joined by Eurosport's Graham Ruthven to preview the midweek El Clasico. How will both managers approach this one tactically and where are the potential areas of vulnerability? Plus, lineup questions, ramifications for the remainder of the season, and much much more. After that, we get into the other teams near the top of the table in Spain before looking ahead to the Champions League knockout round for the four remaining Spanish teams.  Sponsors!  Dollar Shave Club — Go to http://dollarshaveclub.com/tss for a $5 Ultimate Start Set Feals — Makers of CBD oil for when you're a stressed out USMNT manager and you need to relax. Go to http://feals.com/TSS to 50% off your membership

On today's Weekend Review, Ryan and Taylor take a look at... 0:00 - The authenticity of Ryan's accent 1:42 - Chelsea v Bournemouth 10:31 - Arsenal v Man City 21:27 - Today's show is brought to you by SeatGeek! Use code TSS for $10 off your first ticket purchase 24:02 - Real Sociedad v Barcelona 34:06 - Fiorentina v Inter Milan 37:58 - Today's show is sponsored by Policy Genius! Go to http://policygenius.com and get a life insurance quote in minutes 40:27 - Bayern Munich v Werder Bremen 47:10 - Chess makes you good at fantasy, evidently? 48:48 - Champions League knockout round draw analysis

Taylor talks to The Athletic's Paul Tenorio about all the moves that have/have not yet happened in the early days of the MLS offseason. Who will be coaching in New York, Miami and Chicago next year? How big of a get is Sporting KC's acquisition of Alan Pulido? Is it easy to be a roaming reporter while taking care of an infant child? The answer to that is very much no, even if Paul makes it seem like it very much is. SPONSORS! ExpressVPN — go to http://expressvpn.com/soccer to get 15 months for the price of 12 Away — go to http://awaytravel.com/TSS and use code TSS at checkout for a $20 discount

Taylor talks to Sam Tighe of the B/R Football Ranks podcast about attending the Ballon d'Or awards whilst being as tall as Virgil van Dijk. After that, it's a group-by-group review of the Champions League so far. Who is in the strongest position? Who has a lot of work to be done between now and February? Is Jesse Marsch the greatest Champions League manager of all time? Those questioned answered, and many more as well! Sponsors! Today's show is brought to you by... Ruffneck Scarves - Go to http://RuffneckScarves.com and use code TOTALSOCCERSHOW for a 20% discount Talisman Caps - Use code TOTALSOCCER10 for 10% off at http://talismancaps.com

Daryl calls up Henry Bushnell of Yahoo! Sports to talk about the recent US Soccer board meeting, which Henry attended and reported on. Topics include the ongoing CEO search (Jay Berhalter or not?), the controversial policy of asking staff to move to Chicago, the suitability or otherwise of Soccer House, the new and improved GM role for the USMNT, and how US Soccer is spending its money. Links to four Yahoo! Sports articles below: A CEO search, an evolving GM role, and more from a fascinating U.S. Soccer board meeting — Henry Bushnell https://sports.yahoo.com/us-soccer-ceo-usmnt-gm-board-meeting-carlos-cordeiro-earnie-stewart-172503921.html U.S. Soccer is spending millions fighting lawsuits – including equal pay — Henry Bushnell https://sports.yahoo.com/us-soccer-lawsuits-equal-pay-cost-legal-fees-budget-financials-deficit-020203626.html U.S. Soccer defends controversial hiring policy as numerous youth coaching jobs sit vacant — Caitlin Murray https://sports.yahoo.com/us-soccer-defends-controversial-hiring-policy-as-numerous-youth-coaching-jobs-sit-vacant-195441791.html Sources: U.S. Soccer denies NWSL owners' funding request, but offers counterproposal — Caitlin Murray https://sports.yahoo.com/sources-us-soccer-denies-nwsl-owners-funding-request-but-offers-counterproposal-143108951.html SPONSORS! ExpressVPN — go to http://expressvpn.com/soccer to get 15 months for the price of 12 Away — go to http://awaytravel.com/TSS and use code TSS at checkout for a $20 discount

Ryan and Taylor review all the action they were able to watch from this past weekend, including... 0:00 - Discussing the worst fake British accents in movies 3:26 - Manchester Derby 21:12 - Today's show is brought to you by SeatGeek! Use code TSS for $10 off your first ticket purchase 24:51 - Ryan discusses his hockey-attending experience 27:06 - Everton v Chelsea 33:07 - Bundesliga updates, plus Gladbach v Bayern Munich 42:01 - Today's show is brought to you by Audible! Get a free 30-day trial of Audible at http://audible.com/tss or by texting TSS to 500-500 44:36 - Serie A updates, plus Lazio v Juventus 52:40 - Barcelona v Mallorca 58:28 - Russia doping scandal and the potential impact for their soccer future 1:04:29 - Updates from the TSS Scouting Network

It's a listener question special, with lots of hypotheticals! Timestamps below ... 1:20 — In the USMNT we often talk about German Americans. What are some other famous country-country relationships for other countries? 7:40 — How has Lampard used Pulisic for Chelsea tactically different from how Berhalter has tried to use Pulisic? 13:22 — How would you change penalties to make it more even odds for the goalkeeper? We’ve had the rule change where they can’t come off their line so let’s say that part can’t be changed. 18:05 — Today's show is sponsored by Express VPN. Go to http://expressvpn.com/soccer for three months free 20:20 — What would happen if, instead of international breaks spread throughout the season, all international games happened in say November and December? 26:20 — How much do coaches and assistant coaches make? Do MLS coaches get paid significantly less than European coaches? 33:10 — What is one aspect of a major American sports league that you would like the Premier League to try? 38:15 — Today's show is sponsored by Manscaped. Use code TSS at http://manscaped.com to get 20% off plus free shipping 40:25 — Why do teams with years in the Premier League consistently stall out in the Championship? 45:08 — Can you pinpoint the day/game where the USMNT lost their identity of grinding and working their butts off? 49:40 — Do you think a beach soccer or futsal player could translate their skills to traditional soccer? (Link to World Soccer Falcao story: https://www.worldsoccer.com/blogs/falcao-pele-futsal-351602 )

There's one Wall Street Journal article, two ads, and 11 listener questions on today's show. Here are the timestamps: 00:00 — Discussing Rachel Bachman's WSJ article about how the US Soccer Federation is being run. Link to article: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-soccer-federations-struggles-deepen-11575567787 13:15 — What does "Kop" mean at football grounds in England? 16:08 — Could Christian Pulisic one day win the Ballon D'Or? 20:28 — Are we being too harsh on Berhalter for having his "group"? Haven't other USMNT coaches had the same criticism? 27:17 — Today's show sponsored by Hello Fresh. Go to http://hellofresh.com/tss9 and use code TSS9 for nine meals free 29:40 — Why don't people mention Juan Pablo Angel more as being one of the true elite players to help build MLS? 33:03 — Has the application of VAR in the EPL has been rougher than in other leagues? And if so, why? 38:25 — What’s is the most festive starting eleven you can make in the Christmas tree formation? 42:10 — Today's show is sponsored by Talisman Caps! Use code TOTALSOCCER10 for 10% off at http://talismancaps.com 44:15 — Which USMNT player, or players', injury/injuries do you think had the greatest impact on putting us on the path to where the men's national team is now? 50:55 — How do you view Samuel Eto’o’s career and where does he rank in top African footballers? 58:45 — Would PSG actually benefit from an equivalent-size takeover of a rival team in Ligue 1? 1:03:10 — With negotiations between MLS and MLSPA taking place this winter, what do you think are the main things a collective bargaining agreement needs to have to help the league move forward? 1:10:01 — How are UK citizens allocated to national teams? They all have a UK passport, but they play for England, Scotland, Wales, or Nothern Ireland. How does this work?

We review Man Utd's 2-1 win over Spurs, highlighting the things that impressed us about Solskjaer's team. In part two, we take a quick look at Liverpool's 5-2 win over Everton and then have a ponder about the problems at Goodison Park. Today's show is sponsored by Manscaped. Go to http://manscaped.com and use code TSS for 20% off plus free shipping Today's show is sponsored by Enclosed. Go to http://enclosed.gifts and code TOTALSOCCER for $35 off any multi month order

Taylor is joined by The Athletic's Sam Stejskal to discuss the recent article Sam wrote with Paul Tenorio that outlined their ideal alternative to the current MLS roster rules.  Here's a link to their MLS opus: https://theathletic.com/1424561/2019/12/02/how-wed-rewrite-mlss-maddeningly-complex-roster-rules/ We get into the background for their plan, the basics of their new roster rules, and the areas that Sam finds most confusing/offputting.  Sponsors! Today's show is brought to you by... HELLOFRESH! Go to http://hellofresh.com/TSS9 and enter code TSS9 for nine free meals HIMS! Get a free trial by going to http://forhims.com/totalsoccerED

With Daryl still galavanting around England, Taylor talks to Manuel Veth (Forbes, ProSoccerUSA) about a wild Bundesliga season so far. Have Bayern righted the ship, will Klinsmann work out at Hertha, how big of an impact will Tyler Adams have when he returns to Leipzig, and much much more. We also spend some time discussing Weston McKennie and Schalke, Gio Reyna and Dortmund, and the state of the German national team as it prepares for this summer's Euros. Sponsors! Today's show is brought to you by... Manscaped - Use code TSS to get 20% off plus free shipping at http://Manscaped.com Ruffneck Scarves - Go to http://RuffneckScarves.com and use code TOTALSOCCERSHOW for a 20% discount

Ryan and Taylor break down all the action from this past weekend, including... Newcastle v Manchester City Liverpool v Brighton Today's show is brought to you by SeatGeek! Use code TSS for $10 off your first ticket purchase Tottenham v Bournemouth Arsenal v Norwich (and United v Villa) Today's show is brought to you by Hims! Get a free trial by going to http://forhims.com/totalsoccerED Bayern Munich v Bayer Leverkusen Atletico Madrid v Barcelona The Euro 2020 draw is complete: who is happiest and who is going to be nervous?

We take turns listing the things we're thankful for this year. Most are soccer related. Some are personal. Some are things like Mourinho being back at Tottenham or Sergino Dest declaring for the USMNT. It's always good to give thanks. Speaking of... Thank you to today's sponsors! Dollar Shave Club — Go to http://dollarshaveclub.com/tss for a $5 Ultimate Start Set Away Days — Use code TSS at http://awaydaysfootball.com for 15% off

On the first installment of our Thanksgiving themed episodes, we take turns discussing a few holiday-themed questions: 1) Who are we inviting to our soccer-specific Thanksgiving? 2) What teams/players/coaches are the best representations of traditional Thanksgiving foods? 3) What are the soccer-related topics that should be off limits for any Thanksgiving celebration? Sponsors! Today's episode is sponsored by... Away, makers of thoughtful luggage for modern travel! You can check out all their offerings at http://awaytravel.com/tss and use the promo code "TSS" to get $20 off your order. Dollar Shave Club — Go to http://dollarshaveclub.com/tss for a $5 Ultimate Start Set

Ryan and Taylor take a look back at all the action from the weekend, including: 1) West Ham v Tottenham 2) Crystal Palace v Liverpool 3) Sheffield United v Man United Today's show is brought to you by SeatGeek! Use code TSS for $10 off your first ticket purchase 4) Man City v Chelsea 5) Copa Libertadores Final Today's show is brought to you by Audible! Get a free 30-day trial of Audible at http://audible.com/tss or by texting TSS to 500-500 6) Dortmund 3 - Paderborn 3 7) Milan 1 - Napoli 1 8) Real Madrid 3 - Sociedad 1

Former USMNT defender Steve Cherundolo joins the show to discuss his start in Germany, Americans playing in the Bundesliga, his future aspirations, and the current state of the USMNT. There's also a bonus segment at the end of the show (about 10 minuets) recorded in the lobby of our hotel in Frankfurt. It was after a very late night, so credit to Steve for sounding chipper throughout. SPONSORS! Today's episode is brought to you by Feals! Makers of CBD oil for when you're a stressed out USMNT manager and you need to relax. Go to http://feals.com/TSS to 50% off your membership

We answer 10 listener questions. Here are the timestamps: 3:10 — If you could have any 3 Mexican or Canadian players make the switch to the US Men's National Team, who would it be and why? 8:55 — If Man City and Liverpool were forced to play an entire PL season down a man (10 men), where would they finish in the table? 13:20 — What would it take for MLS to break into USA's "Top 4" sports and make it a "Top 5?" 20:18 — Away is a sponsor! Great luggage! Visit http://awaytravel.com/TSS and use code TSS for a $20 discount 23:15 — MLS & Liga MX merger. Pros, cons? Would it be a logistical nightmare? 29:37 — If a European-based USMNT XI played an MLS-based USMNT XI, what would the score be? 36:50 — Today's show is sponsored by Manscaped! Go to http://manscaped.com and use code TSS for 20% off plus free shipping  39:15 — How does the UK work permit process work when it comes to international caps? 43:05 — Out of Liverpool's current starting eleven, which type of player is US Soccer most and least likely to develop and why? 48:51 — What is your favorite non-goal type of play and the most memorable example or player of such? 55:20 — Today's show is sponsored by Ruffneck Scarves! Go to http://RuffneckScarves.com and use code "TOTALSOCCERSHOW" for 20% off 57:35 — For a struggling team, what are some ways you can tell if the coach or the quality of the players is the primary issue? 1:00:35 — How does Dest’s USMNT declaration affect his future transfers? 1:03:45 — What happens if you get fouled in the box while scoring?  

Daryl is joined by The USL Show's own Phill Grooms to review the 2019 USL Championship season, including the three standout players, a couple of coaches who impressed, that 20-game winning stream from Phoenix Rising, and how the Real Monarchs got the balance right. Today's show is sponsored by Policy Genius! Go to http://policygenius.com and get a life insurance quote in minutes

With the international break now complete and the USMNT officially discussed to the absolute extent possible, we take a look back at all the news we've missed in the last couple weeks, including: 1) Pochettino out/Jose Mourinho in at Tottenham 2) Euro qualification is nearly complete: who is in, who is out, and who still has to deal with playoffs. Plus, why aren't France seeded, how Finland earned their spot, and which things Gareth Bale loves most. 3) Maradona quits yet another job 4) Luis Enrique is back at Spain, but things aren't quite as festive as some were expecting. 5) Zlatan officially bids goodbye to MLS via a definitively Zlatan message. And many, many more stories! SPONSORS! Today's episode is brought to you by... Feals! Makers of CBD oil for when you're a stressed out USMNT manager and you need to relax. Go to http://feals.com/TSS to 50% off your membership Hims! A one-stop-shop for hair loss, skincare, and sexual wellness for men. To try Hims by starting with a FREE online visit, go to ForHims.com/TOTALSOCCER Talisman! Visit https://talismancaps.com/pages/talismangiveaway and enter to win a $100 Talisman gifts card

We offer quickfire answers to 21 USMNT-themed listener questions, offering a quick look back at the USA's 4-0 win over Cuba followed by a look ahead to 2020 Today's show is sponsored by Enclosed, Policy Genius, and Manscaped Visit http://enclosed.gifts and use code "TOTALSOCCER" for $35 off Go to http://policygenius.com to get a life insurance quote in minutes Click yourself to http://manscaped.com and tell them the password is TSS. You'll get 20% off the Lawnmower 2.0 plus free shipping