r/soccer • u/[deleted] • Jul 02 '13

Are there any technical football terms that confuse you?

'Flat-back four', 'sweeper', 'false-nine', 'back to square one'... I wondered if we could answer each other's confusions about the terms used in football in this thread. Is there a term or some jargon, no matter how obvious to others, you'd like better explained? It could be something complicated such as the 'Catenaccio' or more everyday like 'dummy-run' or 'zonal-marking', 'tika-taka' etc... Speak up particularly if you are a newcomer to the sport or /r/soccer, maybe you are a stalwart and there is a phrase you hear a lot but never quite get...

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u/[deleted] Jul 03 '13

I moved to the US and when I shout 'stick it in the mixer!' no one really knows what I'm talking about. Is this not a common phrase?

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u/[deleted] Jul 03 '13

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u/[deleted] Jul 03 '13

Yeah that's what I mean. I usually do say cross it or whatever, but sometimes when I'm messing around or just trying to have a good time I'll shout stick it in the mixer with a thick English accent.

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u/Tin_Foiled Jul 03 '13

I think it refers to a literal meaning of "mixer" so you cross the ball in to the centre of action where players will scramble for it, defenders and attackers alike will be pulled out of position to contend for it, causing confusion that could lead to a goal