Football Language: Makeshift

The adjective makeshift is used to show that something is temporary, improvised, an emergency measure. A makeshift defence, for example, is a defence that is made up of players who are not regular starters or defenders. The word is often used when a team has suffered injuries or suspensions and has to choose players from the reserves or has to change players’ positions. There may be a midfielder asked to play at centre-back, or a centre back pushed out top one of the side back positions. You can also say makeshift attack.