Here are some words and phrases you can hear on this week’s languagecaster’s Good, Bad and Ugly section of the podcast. For more English practice check out our worksheets, football glossary and English for football phrases.
- Sitting clear at the top of the table: To be leading the division by a lot of points
Example: Barcelona have scored 59 goals this season so far and are sitting 12 points clear at the top of the table.
- To sweep (all) before (them): To easily beat all the teams they have played so far
Example: The Catalan side are sweeping all before them as they race to the top of the table.
- A thrashing: A heavy defeat of another team
Example: Deportivo received a 0-5 thrashing from in-form Barcelona last weekend.
- Reported: Alleged, not completely sure if it’s true, mentioned in the media
Example: Kaka turned down a reported £500.000 a week offer from Manchester City.
- Gloating: When people show off they gloat; arrogance
Example: It might stop some of the gloating by the Premier League.
- Fail to convert: Missed a chance to score a goal
Example: Zaki, Bent and Torres all failed to convert easy chances in last week’s games.
- To fluff the chance: To miss an easy goal; to make a mistake
Example: Torres rounded the keeper but then fluffed the chance of scoring.
- An altercation: A fight though usually not so big
Example: Two Newcastle players had to be separated from each other in training after an altercation.
- Homophobic chants: Nasty songs about gays / homosexuals
Example: Fans were banned after admitting singing homophobic chants at former player Sol Campbell
- Away goal: In Cup competitions an away goal counts double in case of draws.
Example: The aggregate score was 4-4, but Burnley had an away goal.
- Underdog: The non-favourite; the team from a lower division
Example: Though Burnley were the underdogs they almost scraped through to the final. but they didn’t 😉
