I agree but attractive football can be played in many different ways. And it can be subjective to the viewer. My point was more general.
Football phrases that grinds your gears
- Thread starter Micky Targaryen
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Attacking attractive football. Barca style pass pass pass pass pass pass pass pass pass pass pass Messi scores style isn't exciting or attacking IMO. United should be exciting to watch. You can appreciate the technical skill and the general quality but I don't want time for an intellectual discussion when watching football, I want to be thrilled.
It appears you and I are cut from a similar cloth but football seems to be changing, and not for the better it would seem.
And United haven't been exciting to watch for far too long. Not sure when it will change either.
There have been flashed of it under Ole but not there yet. In the end sport is meant to be exciting.
“The wall did it’s job” after every free kick that hits the wall
'high press'
mainly because it's way overused these days.
I prefer the old equivalent 'get in their faces' phrase.
mainly because it's way overused these days.
I prefer the old equivalent 'get in their faces' phrase.
Well Liverpool did play a similar 'defend from the front' back in the 1980s with the likes of Ian Rush and Kevin Keegan before him famed for their application off the ball. It was a big reason why they were so difficult to play against.
But in terms of your point, over years of doing things the same way, clubs develop their own culture. For Liverpool it was more the Boot Room and the internal managerial flow from Shankly to Paisley to Fagan to Dalglish. And there was plenty of navel-gazing in the 1990s and 2000s at Anfield as to whether they were right to abandon that approach and whether it had a place in the modern game (sound familiar?). At United the style of play in the 1990s was distinctive and evocative of elements of Busby's sides. And these commonalities between the greatest teams in a club's history are what becomes 'the United way' and you could look across Europe and all the other big clubs will have similar stories to tell.
Time matters and the other side of this coin is, that as the decades roll by without a title, you become quite happy to do whatever it takes to be successful again. Or, as you say, a new style of football comes in that is successful and, in time, that becomes the norm for the club. We saw that with the hard cultural resets at Arsenal when Wenger arrived or at Mourinho's Chelsea.
It is redundant verbiage, like so much in football commentary.
The repeated use of the word 'cute' if some player does something cunning or even for gamesmanship (cheating)
"He's a good shot stopper"
It's basically a prerequisite for being a goal keeper.
It's basically a prerequisite for being a goal keeper.
Especially when it really means the person taking the freekick didn't do their job.
Bullied. Hearing it more and more.
"Played him off the park" it's not a fecking park, it's a pitch.
Except that plural is without the apostrophe - which is a thing that many of us find irritating
Might have been mentioned earlier in the thread but “hit it with swaz” makes my ears bleed.
Remember watching a podcast with Bobby Zamora describing being in awe standing behind Scholes who “hit a ball with swaz”. Got rightfully laughed at by Jimmy Bullard who hosts the podcast.
Remember watching a podcast with Bobby Zamora describing being in awe standing behind Scholes who “hit a ball with swaz”. Got rightfully laughed at by Jimmy Bullard who hosts the podcast.
How?
It’s probably been said in the past 19 pages…. But in the post match press conference after a disappointing result “we go again”
Michael Owen - I like a player who has 2 feet.
It's the typically lazy application of them that bothers me. Winning team = wanted it more, never mind the fact that measuring desire from a tv studio is questionable at best.
"You can only beat what is in front of you" often gets wheeled out to nullify any sort of criticism, even if it's valid.
It's not a specific phrase, but it winds me up how commentators will not shut up for two seconds. It's a mixture of, "the audience has a five second attention span, so say something every two seconds, even if it's inane" and, "look, I did research, here's a pointless stat I can crowbar into the commentary".
"The proof is in the pudding" seems to get used in the football world an awful lot and its nonsense and meaningless. The phase is "The proof of the pudding is in the eating" which makes total sense as it means essentially "we wont know until we try". It makes my teeth itch every time I hear it!
Oh, and fecking "witty banter" that commentators indulge in with their co-commentators or studio panel, all engineered for social media likes.
Overloads I don’t have a problem with just because it does a good job of describing what’s happening where there isn’t already a concise term. What’s the alternative? Man over I guess, but overload works just as well.
Hit it too well is definitely a daft one. It's hit well if it's both struck with the requisite power and direction.
Seems to always be used when it's punted at the keeper.
Seems to always be used when it's punted at the keeper.
One thing that’s really been bugging me lately is Robbie Savage’s habit of referring to positions by number ie sixes and eights. He does it several times a game now.
It annoys me for several reasons. Firstly, squad numbers have been part of the game since Savage was playing, so many younger viewers won’t know what he’s talking about.
Secondly, different countries (like England and Scotland) had different traditional numbering systems for positions, even when they were relevant.
And thirdly, football tactics and positions have changed so much, that it’s ridiculous using such an outdated system to describe football today. So if you mean defensive midfielder/holding midfielder/attacking midfielder etc, just say that so people know what you actually mean
It annoys me for several reasons. Firstly, squad numbers have been part of the game since Savage was playing, so many younger viewers won’t know what he’s talking about.
Secondly, different countries (like England and Scotland) had different traditional numbering systems for positions, even when they were relevant.
And thirdly, football tactics and positions have changed so much, that it’s ridiculous using such an outdated system to describe football today. So if you mean defensive midfielder/holding midfielder/attacking midfielder etc, just say that so people know what you actually mean
Put the laces through it.
Emma Hayes has been by far the best pundit. No bullshit cliches
I like ‘ throw your head on it!’ Makes me
Laugh every time
Laugh every time
I remember him commentating on one of our games last season, Fred and Van de Beek started as the two central midfielders. Savage could not stop mentioning how they are not real sixes, how they won’t start the next game, how we have a real six in Matic and that Van de Beek is an eight.
Turned the sound off as he was so fecking annoying.
Commentators mentioning fantasy football - e.g. “his fantasy football owners will be happy“. Even though I play it, it comes across as a bit small time to me, like they’re desperately trying to appear relevant.
When a player turns on the ball and the commentator says "He gets turned".
He hasn't got turned you ffffing numpties! He has turned.
Stop mangling the language.
He hasn't got turned you ffffing numpties! He has turned.
Stop mangling the language.
Loads of football stadiums are named as park
- Signal Iduna Park
- Goodison Park
- Parc de Princes
- Villa Park
- St James' Park
This isn't a phrase but all the pundits like to say absolutely. I don't know why I find this funny.
He hit that with so little backlift!
Not sure about that decision , looking at the replay he is “only just “ offside.
Minimal contact , what do you think Martin (Keown).
Not sure about that decision , looking at the replay he is “only just “ offside.
Minimal contact , what do you think Martin (Keown).
Channels is fine, that's a long term one.
Between the lines is exceptionally irritating and is merely spouted to make it sound like the user has profound knowledge of the games.
Most people seem to think pragmatic means some sort of mix of cautious and negative.
When if they bothered to look, it is
"Dealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on practical rather than theoretical considerations".
Which like you say is almost every manager. The ones who insist on keeping to their "theory" irrespective of what's going on won't last long.
Perhaps Pep is the big success at sticking to his "way", but his teams can boot it and mix it when it needs doing.
Just heard a new one recently
“Playing with a double pivot”
I presume that’s playing with two holding midfielders.
“Playing with a double pivot”
I presume that’s playing with two holding midfielders.
"And joining us in the studio today is Graeme Souness"
This really annoys the hell out of me.
So many people use this terminology now and it makes zero sense.
It essentially means two midfielders, maybe slightly deeper lying midfielders.
A pivot is something which something else depends on, usually a fixed object. It makes no sense to me when describing a two man midfield.
But people use it because its trendy i suppose.
‘He’s done everything right by there’
Oh really? Why’s the ball not hit the back of the net dickhead.
Oh really? Why’s the ball not hit the back of the net dickhead.
I agree with many of the ones already listed. But one I haven't seen (through a quick trawl through all 19 pages) so forgive me if i've missed it is:
Keeping him honest.
Usually said when a goalie has had diddly squat to do and suddenly has a simple save to make. I understand the usage 'keeping someone honest' in the business sense of observing rules and regulations. But why the feck putting over a routine cross for a goalkeeper to come out and do their job is 'Keeping them honest' I have absolutely no idea? Nor clearly have any of the numerous commentators who just use it whenever they like.
Keeping him honest.
Usually said when a goalie has had diddly squat to do and suddenly has a simple save to make. I understand the usage 'keeping someone honest' in the business sense of observing rules and regulations. But why the feck putting over a routine cross for a goalkeeper to come out and do their job is 'Keeping them honest' I have absolutely no idea? Nor clearly have any of the numerous commentators who just use it whenever they like.