Glossary

Read this to help you write up the match results! And check out the photos of some famous players!

in goal	To be in goal is to be the goalkeeper.
6-yard box	the 6-yard box is sometimes called the goalkeeper's box. It is the smaller box inside the penalty area.
formation	A system of play.
centre-half	The player in the centre of the pitch when the 2-3-5 formation is used. Starts the attack. Now called a central midfielder.
wing-half	Marks the winger in the 2-3-5 formation. Now called a outside midfielder.
mark	To mark an opponent is to stay near him to harass him.
wingers	Thought to be "extinct" by the 4-4-2, it reappeared in the Argentinian 4-3-3. This breed of players masters the flanks of the field, creating chances for the other forwards and occasionally scoring.
sense of positioning	Sense of positioning is very important for a team to succeed. If players do not have sense of positioning, passes might not reach their targets, and problems will be caused in both their own defense and attack.
tackling	To challenge for the ball, physically.
centre-forward	The chief goalscorer. The player who plays in the center of the attacking third of the pitch, the one to whom usually all the passes are directed. Also has to be able to evade tackles from opposing defenders.
playmaker	The role of the centre-half in the 2-3-5. Starts the attacks by either passing or dribbling forward himself.
offside rule	A rule established to disallow too many goals from being scored; this limits the centre-forward in the sense that he is not allowed to touch the ball when there are less than two players between him and the opposition goal at the time the ball is passed to him.
offside trap	This is a scheme that is sometimes intentional, sometimes not. It is when the defence is so far upfield that a forward finds himself stranded in an offside position, where he is considered out of play.
defensive third	The defensive third of the field is the area from your own goal-line to a few metres past the top of your own penalty box.
neutral third	The midfield area. Stretches from the end of one penalty box to the other.
outfield players	A player that is not the goalkeeper is an outfield player.
penalty area	The box that stretches for 18 yards from the goalline. The goalkeeper is allowed to use his hands to control the ball here. There is a semi-circular area outside the penalty box sometimes known as the "D". It is considered a normal area, and the goalkeeper may not use hands in the "D".
libero	An italian word meaning "free man", the libero is the last defender, free of marking duties, and he has to clean up the mistakes made by his fellow defenders. This is why he is known also as a sweeper.
backline	The "line" of defenders.
18-yard box	The penalty area.
off-the-ball running	A player that does not have the ball runs to get into a good position to receive a pass or to draw a defender away from the scene of action. This is called good off-the-ball running, or in the latter case, decoying.
zonal marking	Zonal marking is a scheme where defenders stay around certain areas and defend the area rather than sticking to a designated opponent.
overlapping fullbacks	Brazil introduced this exciting feature of the defence. Overlapping fullbacks refer to the defenders getting the ball on the flanks and becoming wingers of sorts, running up the flanks to join in the attack.
finishing	The final part of the attack. In other words, the shooting.
dribbling	Running with the ball.
fullback	A defender.
FA Cup	The prestitgious FA Cup is probably the oldest tournament in the world, having started even before the commencement of the English League.
wing	The side of the field. The long strip in which a winger operates.
forwards	Attackers are generally called forwards.
dropping back	Moving back, usually to aid the defence.
midfield	Refers to one of two things. Either the midfielders, or the neutral third of the pitch.
nutmegged	To be nutmegged is to be beaten by having the ball put between your legs... pretty embarassing.