Archive for April, 2011

 Print This Post | Subscribe: Weekly Football Phrase

Every week during the 2010-11 season, the languagecaster team explain a football phrase or cliche for learners of English who love the sport. Click on the link below to hear the word or phrase and you can also read the transcript below that. You can find many more examples by going to our football phrase page here football cliches here and our huge football glossary here.

Listen here: To brush aside | See the complete list here

This week’s English for football phrase is ‘to brush aside‘ which is made up from the verb brush or sweep and the adverb aside which means away from or to the side. In football we use this phrase to describe a situation where one team is much better than their opponents and they comfortably beat them; they are brushed aside as if they were not there. So for example, earlier this week Manchester United easily brushed aside German team Schalke 2-0 in the Champions League semi-final. To brush aside.

 Print This Post | Subscribe: Predictions

This week, the languagecaster team attempt to predict some big games at the foot of the table in Spain and England, wonder if Manchester United can be stopped in the Premier League and who will win the big derbies in London and in Rio de Janeiro. Oh and we have more el clasico, this time in the Champions League semi final second legs. Check out some language used in making predictions here. This week’s guest predictor is Pete, a Celtic fan.

 Print This Post | Subscribe: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Leo Messi lights up a nasty Champions League semi-final, one that had been darkened by Jose Mourinho, while Darren Gibson decides that twitter is not for him. You can listen to these and other stories on our weekly podcast and can find explanations of key vocabulary in bold below.

The Good

Thank God for Lionel Messi for without his brilliance, bravery, technique and goalscoring ability we would only be discussing the mind games, diving, and poor sportsmanship of the players in the Champions League semi-final first leg game between Real Madrid and Barcelona. Messi scored his 51st and 52nd goals of the season in a crucial away win in the Bernabeu which leaves the Catalan side in a very strong position to reach the Champions League final. His second in particular was a gem as he set off on a remarkable dribble that saw him beat 5 players before coolly slotting the ball beyond Iker Casillas to all but put the tie out of Madrid’s reach. Gracias Leo.
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Podcast: Play in new window | Download

The Champions League has reached the semi-final stage and on this week’s show we preview the upcoming games between Schalke and Manchester United and of course the third clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona. Remember on this week’s podcast you can also:

• Listen only to the main report here – complete with transcript and vocabulary
• Learners of English can review the footballing news from around the world in our good, the bad and the ugly section of the show
• Check out a new football expression in English for Football
• For learners of English check out our Football Language Resources page with:
• A page with all our Football vocabulary posts
• Football glossary (a huge collection of football vocabulary, football cliches and football phrases)
• Worksheets and transcripts from previous podcasts

Automatically receive the podcast each week by clicking here

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

 Print This Post | Subscribe: Main Listening Report | Complete List Here

This week languagecaster previews the semi-finals of the Champions League and attempts to predict the finalists at Wembley in May. There is a transcript below, while explanations of key vocabulary (in bold) can be found at the foot of the post, while other key phrases (in blue) also have meanings explained.

The Road To Wembley

With two teams from La Liga and one each from the Premier League and the Bundesliga, the 2011 Champions League semi-final first legs take place next week. Recent winners Barcelona and Manchester United take on two very different opponents: one with the highest pedigree in European football and the other playing in the competition for the very first time. Barca play Real Madrid their arch-rivals for the third and fourth time in only 18 days while the Red Devils face Schalke.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s side start as favourites in their game against the Bundesliga team and not just because of their European experience. They currently lead the Premier League and look as if they will win a record-breaking 19th title, while Schalke, the team from Gelsenkirchen on the Ruhr, are languishing in 10th place in the German league and have recently fired their coach Felix Magath. continue

 Print This Post | Subscribe: Weekly Football Phrase

Every week during the 2010-11 season, the languagecaster team explain a football phrase or cliche for learners of English who love the sport. Click on the link below to hear the word or phrase and you can also read the transcript below that. You can find many more examples by going to our football phrase page here football cliches here and our huge football glossary here.

Listen here: The Red Mist.mp3 | See the complete list here

This week’s English for football phrase is ‘the red mist’. It is most often used with the verbs ‘see‘ and ‘descend‘ – He saw the red mist, the red mist descended. When this phrase is used, it means a player has lost his temper, lost control, and made a dangerous tackle. When the red mist descends, the player tackles with anger rather than control. The tackle often leads to a red card and the player is often labeled a ‘hothead’. Last weekend in the FA Cup semi-final between Manchester United and Manchester City, United’s veteran midfielder, Paul Scholes, saw the red mist descend as he caught his opponent high on the thigh with his studs. His manager, Fergie, said it was another ‘red mist moment‘. Paul Scholes was shown a red card and sent off.

The red mist.

 Print This Post | Subscribe: Predictions

This week, languagecaster casts its eye around the world to take in games from Japan, where the season gets underway again after the terrible earthquake and tsunami, Argentina, Spain, England, and the Champions League semi final first legs. Check out some language used in making predictions here. This week’s guest predictor is Hiroshi, a Urawa Reds fan.

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 Print This Post | Subscribe: Main Listening Report | Complete List Here

The Copa del Rey takes place this week in Valencia between Barcelona and Real Madrid. The languagecaster team takes a look at the second of four clásicos and predicts a winner. There is a transcript below, while explanations of key vocabulary (in bold) can be found at the foot of the post, while other key phrases (in blue) also have meanings explained.

This week sees the final of the Spanish Cup competition, the Copa del Rey, taking place between Barcelona and Real Madrid in the neutral venue of Mestalla, the home of Valencia. Unlike the Spanish League, where Real lead, it is Barcelona who possess the most titles in this competition – they have 25, Athletic Bilbao from the north of the country have 23, while Real Madrid have 17. Remarkably, Madrid have also lost 19 times in the final and indeed have not won this trophy since 1993 – 18 years ago. continue

How much do you think you know about the big game between Real Madrid and Barcelona? Take our El Clásico Quiz to find out. continue

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Continuing languagecaster.com’s focus on the two giants of La Liga, Barcelona and Real Madrid, this week’s podcast talks about their history, heroes, trophies ad more. Remember, you can also:

• Listen only to the main report here – complete with transcript and vocabulary
• Learners of English can review the footballing news from around the world in our good, the bad and the ugly section of the show
• Check out a new football expression in English for Football
• For learners of English check out our Football Language Resources page with:
• A page with all our Football vocabulary posts
• Football glossary (a huge collection of football vocabulary, football cliches and football phrases)
• Worksheets and transcripts from previous podcasts

Automatically receive the podcast each week by clicking here