Here are some words and phrases you can hear on languagecaster’s Podcast’s Good, Bad and Ugly section – a review of the footballing news. For more English practice check out our worksheets, football glossary and English for football phrases.
- Spectacular: Amazing, wonderful, fantastic
Example: There were two spectacular overhead kicks on show in the Liverpool – Wigan game last week.
- Feast of: A lot of, a surplus of
Example: Fans at the Liverpool – Wigan game were treated to a feast of spectacular goals last week.
- Come-from-behind victory: When a team wins after having been losing earlier in the match.
Example: Liverpool had another come-from-behind victory against Wigan last week.
- Bicycle-kick: An overhead kick; a scissors kick
Example: Amir Zaki scored against Liverpool with a spectacular bicycle-kick.
- A strike: Another word for a shot
Example: Zaki’s strike was a shot from the edge of the penalty area.
- To applaud: To clap
Example: The Fenerbahce fans applauded the performance of Arsenal in the Champions League after their team had been thrashed.
- Jail: Prison
Example: Joey Barton the Newcastle player has been released from jail and is hoping to play this weekend.
- Sluggish: Tired, out of practice
Example: Joey Barton expects to be a bit sluggish after being out of the game for four months.
- To be rooted to the bottom: To be stuck at the bottom of the table, to be last in the league (by a long way!)
Example: Tottenham are rooted to the bottom of the Premier League after their defeat against Stoke City.
- To be stretchered off: To be taken off on a stretcher after a heavy injury.
Example: Vedran Corluka was stretchered off after being kicked in the head by his own goalkeeper.
- Ominously: Threateningly; dark clouds are approaching!
Example: Ominously for Tottenham only one team has ever survived relegation after such a bad start to the season.
- To top it all off: Added to the fact; to make matters worse
Example: To top it all off star forward David Bentley has been dropped following negative comments about the team.
- Bonkers: Completely mad, crazy
Example: Damon thinks the proposed move by David Beckham to Milan is absolutely bonkers.
