This Week: A run for your money

Hello, my name’s Jack and welcome to the weekly round-up called This Week on Premier Skills English.

In This Week, we’ve got lots of interesting words and phrases to help you talk about football in English.

If you are listening to this podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify you can also visit the Premier Skills English website at premierskillsenglish.britishcouncil.org where you’ll be able to download the podcast.

On the Premier Skills English website, you can read the transcript and join the Premier Skills English community by completing a language task in the comments section. This will really help you remember the new words and phrases from the stories from the Premier League.

This week, I’m talking about one of the most exciting matches of the season so far, Villa’s clash with Everton and a bit of an upset at Anfield for Liverpool when they welcomed Nottingham Forest.

This week, the language is all useful phrases. The level is quite advanced, but I think these are all useful phrases and come up quite frequently in football English.

The phrases I am going to talk about today are:

• To throw in the towel
• A pivotal moment
• To put the game to bed
• To break a tie
• A school of thought
• A run for your money
• To come out on top
• To dig in

Listen out for this vocabulary in this week’s stories.

But before I get to the stories, I want to look at last week’s football phrase and last week’s fiendish football phrase. If you didn’t hear them last week, here’s one more chance to guess now.

Last week, the football phrase was a ***** *****. This is a phrase which means that a team has not conceded a goal. In Fantasy Premier League, your goalkeeper and defenders score extra points if they manage to keep a ***** *****.

The fiendish football phrase was very tricky. More of you got it right than I had expected, but I think it was a bit of a struggle. It was a ******* ****. This is a type of kick that is supposed to go from one player to another, but that actually flies off in an uncontrolled way and is impossible for the target player to collect and control. The adjective in this phrase is more commonly used to describe a person who is a bit of a rebel, often in relation to their family and who does unexpected things and is unpredictable and a bit wild.

Congratulations to Alex from Ukraine, Gustavo Fonseca from Peru, Vietnguyenngo from Vietnam, Jacob Burns from Poland, Lukáš from Czechia, Andretorre102 from Brazil, Hsn from Turkey, Leo fabiano from Brazil, Mobeckham from Turkey, Isshin from Japan and Asmaa-166 from Egypt. Welcome to Premier Skills English Asmaa. 

You all managed to work out that the football phrase was a clean sheet and lots of you managed to work out that the fiendish football phrase was a wayward pass.

Keep listening till the end of the podcast for a new football phrase and a new fiendish football phrase.

Now it’s time for the first story.

Super sub saves the day

Aston Villa came back from behind in one of the most exciting matches of the season so far. Villa started strong and dominated the visitors with some early shots on goal. But things can change quickly and they did after 16 minutes when Dwight McNneil robbed Onana and made a slalom run towards the goal before picking his spot and tucking the ball just inside the far post.

And then Everton were inspired and Villa looked shaken. Ten minutes later, Harrison was making a run down the right when he was interrupted in a way that did not please the referee and earned a free kick. Calvert-Lewin leapt free of the scrum and headed the ball into the net and Villa were two down. But Villa were not about to throw in the towel in front of a home crowd. Ollie Watkins restored some confidence when he halved the deficit with a crucial goal in the 36th minute.

In the second half, there was another pivotal moment when Calvert-Lewin broke free behind the Villa defenders and was one on one with the keeper. There was just the slightest hint of hesitation, as if he expected the referee to rule him offside which gave Ezri Konsa just enough time to run in and knock the ball wide.

Villa levelled just before the hour mark after Watkins beat Pickford with a short range volley after a gift of a cross from Tielemans.

Although they had given away a 2-goal lead, Everton were still in the match and made some dangerous runs and came very close to scoring. Ollie Watkins also looked thrown and missed a couple of golden opportunities to put the game to bed. The tie was finally broken in spectacular fashion by a super sub in the 78th minute. Jhon Durán powered the ball from long range, from well outside Everton’s area precisely into the top left corner. Pickford made a heroic dive, but the ball was out of reach and in the net.

Final score: Aston Villa 3-2 Everton

The phrases from the story that I want to talk about are:

• To throw in the towel
• A pivotal moment
• To put the game to bed
• To break a tie

To throw in the towel

To throw in the towel is an idiom that comes from boxing. If a boxer is losing a fight badly then their trainer or manager can literally throw a towel into the ring and the referee will stop the match. When they throw in the towel, they give up or quit. The dictionary says that people throw in the towel when they realise that they cannot succeed. However, I think that this idiom is most commonly used in a negative sense. People say, I’m not ready to throw in the towel or she has no plans to throw in the towel. I always search news stories for examples of these phrases when I’m making this podcast and I did find quite a few positive examples of people suggesting someone else should throw in the towel. There’s no way you can win, you should throw in the towel, stories.

A pivotal moment

A pivot is a point, a fixed point that things move around. We use the verb form to describe when someone turns on the spot. So in football, a striker might need to pivot if they receive a long cross and then pivot of turn on the spot to shoot at the goal. So if you pivot, you quickly change direction and that’s what a pivotal moment means. It’s the moment when things change. After the match, Sean Dyche described the moment when Calvert-Lewin should have scored as a pivotal moment. From that moment on, Everton lost their momentum and Villa took control. It was a pivotal moment.

To put the game to bed

The phrase to put something to bed means to finish something or settle an argument so that you don’t have to think about it again. The origins of the phrase are really interesting. It actually comes from newspapers when they were printed using letters that were arranged on a bed, that is a flat surface that the individual letters would rest on. So when a story was put to bed, it meant that it couldn’t be changed or edited any more. It was in the printer so it was settled. However, if you are a parent of young children, you also have to put them to bed and when they are down and asleep, you can finally relax. Anyhow, to put something to bed means to settle something like a problem at work or an issue or question so that you don’t have to think about it again. In football, it means to score a decisive goal that secures the win. So if a team has a goal advantage and then scores again in the last 10 minutes, that normally settles the result and puts the game to bed.

To break a tie

This means to do something that ends a situation where two competing parties were equal so that one of them wins. So in football, when two teams have the same score, nil-nil or one-all, then the scores are tied. It is a tie. If the game finishes in a tie, then it is a draw. When two teams are tied for a while and then one team scores, then you can say that the scorer broke the tie. You may have heard a noyn-form of this phrase a tie-breaker which is a bonus question in a game or quiz that is used to decide the winner if the game finishes in a tie.

Time to move on to the next story.

Tricky Trees trip up Liverpool

Nottingham Forest went to Anfield on Saturday to face Arne Slot’s team who had been enjoying a fantastic start to the season having won their first three matches. Forest had not won a match at Anfield for a long time, the Tricky Trees hadn’t won in their 27 previous encounters, but they’d also had a good start and hadn’t lost a match so far this season. Early on, the commentator remarked that there’s a general school of thought that Forest were well enough equipped to give Arne Slot’s team a real run for their money, though I think most probably thought that the Reds would come out on top.

From kick-off, it was clear that Forest had a game plan and they worked it to perfection. Against Liverpool they needed to stay sharp and defend deep. They were never going to be able to dominate the midfield so they planned to play with a tight defence and give the home side no way through. And then take their chances to counter. As the minutes passed, Liverpool started getting more and more frustrated as they just couldn't get through.

Forest waited until the moment was right. And that moment came in the second half. Liverpool were attacking deep into Forest’s half when the ball was knocked free. Anthony Elanga had come on as a sub just 10 minutes earlier and sprinted up the right hand side on fresh legs before playing a fantastic ball across the pitch to Callum Hudson-Odoi who was running up the left. Hudson-Odoi ran square past two Liverpool defenders before firing a long ball at goal. The ball curved perfectly and grazed the inside of the far post beyond the reach of Alisson.

With a goal in their pocket, Forest dug in, staying tight and compact in front of their goal and leaving no gaps, no way for Liverpool to get through.

Final score: Liverpool 0 - 1 Nottingham Forest

The phrases from the story that I want to talk about are:

• A school of thought
• A run for your money
• To come out on top
• To dig in

A school of thought

We use the phrase a school of thought to say that there’s an idea or opinion or theory that is shared by a group of people. Traditionally, schools of thought have centred around philosophy, economics or politics and have names that end in -ism like Capitalism and Marxism or Stoicism and Pragmatism. In economics, there are some schools of thought that are actually named schools like the American School and the French School. In general English, people use the phrase to bring up an idea or opinion that lots of people believe, without saying that it’s true, just that lots of other people think it. When the commentator said that there’s a general school of thought that Forest were going to be a tough team for Liverpool, he was telling people that he’d heard lots of other people saying that.

A run for your money

The phrase is actually to give someone a run for their money and it means to give someone a good challenge and make it hard for them to win. It doesn’t mean that we think a team is going to win, just that they are going to make it difficult. So it’s a useful phrase when you’re talking about one of the big teams, Manchester City, or Arsenal or Liverpool. Recently, when they are set to play against pretty much anyone, you’d expect them to win. If Manchester City are up against one of the newly promoted teams, most people would probably expect City to win easily. However, if you think that the smaller team is going to be harder to beat and they are going to make City work for the result, you could say that they are going to give City a run for their money. As it happened, Forest really did give Liverpool a run for their money and came out on top.

To come out on top

This is an easy phrase to understand. It just means to be the winner, usually after a long and drawn out process. You can use the phrase in a sporting context. I don’t think you’d use it for a one sided match. It implies that there was a time when the winner was not on top. So for a match that is quite even, perhaps a match where both teams scored, then at the end a winner emerges, then you can say that the winner came out on top.

To dig in

This phrasal verb is quite interesting because in general English, it means to start working hard and to not give up. However, I think it comes from talking about the military and battles. When an army is trying to defend somewhere, they can literally dig holes and trenches that they can defend. So if an army is dug in, they are really hard to attack. So in football English, I think, both of these meanings are relevant. When Forest dug in, they kept working hard and they also focused on defence and formed a more compact shape to stop Liverpool.

Today, I’ve spoken about 8 useful phrases.

The phrases were:

• To throw in the towel
• A pivotal moment
• To put the game to bed
• To break a tie
• A school of thought
• A run for your money
• To come out on top
• To dig in

Listen to the stories one more time to hear this language in context.

Super sub saves the day

Aston Villa came back from behind in one of the most exciting matches of the season so far. Villa started strong and dominated the visitors with some early shots on goal. But things can change quickly and they did after 16 minutes when Dwight McNneil robbed Onana and made a slalom run towards the goal before picking his spot and tucking the ball just inside the far post.

And then Everton were inspired and Villa looked shaken. Ten minutes later, Harrison was making a run down the right when he was interrupted in a way that did not please the referee and earned a free kick. Calvert-Lewin leapt free of the scrum and headed the ball into the net and Villa were two down. But Villa were not about to throw in the towel in front of a home crowd. Ollie Watkins restored some confidence when he halved the deficit with a crucial goal in the 36th minute.

In the second half, there was another pivotal moment when Calvert-Lewin broke free behind the Villa defenders and was one on one with the keeper. There was just the slightest hint of hesitation, as if he expected the referee to rule him offside which gave Ezri Konsa just enough time to run in and knock the ball wide.

Villa levelled just before the hour mark after Watkins beat Pickford with a short range volley after a gift of a cross from Tielemans.

Although they had given away a 2-goal lead, Everton were still in the match and made some dangerous runs and came very close to scoring. Ollie Watkins also looked thrown and missed a couple of golden opportunities to put the game to bed. The tie was finally broken in spectacular fashion by a super sub in the 78th minute. Jhon Durán powered the ball from long range, from well outside Everton’s area precisely into the top left corner. Pickford made a heroic dive, but the ball was out of reach and in the net.

Final score: Aston Villa 3-2 Everton

 

Tricky Trees trip up Liverpool

Nottingham Forest went to Anfield on Saturday to face Arne Slot’s team who had been enjoying a fantastic start to the season having won their first three matches. Forest had not won a match at Anfield for a long time, the Tricky Trees hadn’t won in their 27 previous encounters, but they’d also had a good start and hadn’t lost a match so far this season. Early on, the commentator remarked that there’s a general school of thought that Forest were well enough equipped to give Arne Slot’s team a real run for their money, though I think most probably thought that the Reds would come out on top.

From kick-off, it was clear that Forest had a game plan and they worked it to perfection. Against Liverpool they needed to stay sharp and defend deep. They were never going to be able to dominate the midfield so they planned to play with a tight defence and give the home side no way through. And then take their chances to counter. As the minutes passed, Liverpool started getting more and more frustrated as they just couldn't get through.

Forest waited until the moment was right. And that moment came in the second half. Liverpool were attacking deep into Forest’s half when the ball was knocked free. Anthony Elanga had come on as a sub just 10 minutes earlier and sprinted up the right hand side on fresh legs before playing a fantastic ball across the pitch to Callum Hudson-Odoi who was running up the left. Hudson-Odoi ran square past two Liverpool defenders before firing a long ball at goal. The ball curved perfectly and grazed the inside of the far post beyond the reach of Alisson.

With a goal in their pocket, Forest dug in, staying tight and compact in front of their goal and leaving no gaps, no way for Liverpool to get through.

Final score: Liverpool 0 - 1 Nottingham Forest

Language challenge

Right, now it’s time for you to think about this language again. I have used AI to come up with examples of today’s phrases. I have removed the vocabulary from the stories so I want you to fill in the gaps with the correct forms of the language from the podcast.

Number 1. He gave his opponent a _____________, pushing the game into overtime.

Number 2. With both sides level at 1-1, a late header __________ and gave the home team the victory.

Number 3. The negotiations were tough, but both sides _______, refusing to back down.

Number 4. She almost ____________ during the marathon, but the support from the crowd kept her going.

Number 5. The penalty kick was all they needed to ________________ and end any hopes of a comeback.

Number 6. The football team struggled in the first half but ______________ with a last-minute goal.

Number 7. A _______________ in education believes that hands-on learning is more effective than traditional lectures.

Number 8. His decision to move abroad for work turned out to be a ________________ in his life.

Leave your answers to this language challenge in the comments section on the Premier Skills English website.

Football phrase

Now it’s time for this week's football phrases.

This week’s football phrase is ****. This refers to how well a player or a team has been performing over a certain period of time. It’s normally used to say how well they are playing and have been playing recently. If a team is in good **** then they are playing well and have been winning their matches.

This week’s fiendish football phrase is ********. This refers to when a team loses possession of the ball, perhaps through a bad pass, interception, or tackle. When a ******** occurs, the other team gains control of the ball and has the opportunity to start their own attack. Some teams are ******** specialists and often score by capitalising on their opponents’ mistakes.

If you know the answers, be sure to leave it in a comment on the page for this podcast on Premier Skills English.

Before I finish, I am going to go through the answers to last week’s language challenge.

Number 1. She barely passed the exam, scoring just enough to get through.

Number 2. The politician introduced a controversial policy that divided public opinion.

Number 3. The two companies signed a contract to cement their partnership for future projects.

Number 4. It was difficult to settle on a name for their newborn, but they eventually chose Erling.

Number 5. The critics were quick to pounce on the new movie for its controversial content.

Number 6. Hard work is a given if you want to achieve your goals.

Number 7. The violinist played an exquisite piece of music that moved the audience to tears.

Number 8. The football team was penalised with a loss of points for breaking the league’s financial rules.

Number 9. The police officer enforced the letter of the law when issuing the fine, regardless of the circumstances.

And that’s all I have time for today. Before I finish, I just wanted to say that I hope you found this podcast useful, and I hope everyone stays fit and healthy and safe.

Bye for now and enjoy your football.