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Learn English Through Football Podcast:
In this football language podcast we take a look at the phrase, ‘can’t live with them’ and how it is used in football. We also look ahead to next weekend’s football with our predictions competition. You can read the transcript for this podcast below, while you can also check out our glossary of footballing phrases here and visit our site to access all our previous posts and podcasts. If you have any suggestions or questions then you can contact us at admin@languagecaster.com.
Welcome
DB: You’re listening to the Learning English Through Football Podcast. Hi everyone, my name’s Damon, one half of the languagecaster team. The other half is Damian, who we will hear from later in the show. While Damian is based in London, I am in Tokyo. Currently, we are enjoying some lovely autumn weather: bright but chilly. Great weather to play football!
Later this weekend, J-League leaders Vissel Kobe will be travelling from Kobe in the west of Japan, to Tokyo to take on Tokyo Verdi. With only three games to go and a slender two point lead, Kobe will need a win to keep them ahead of second place Sanfrecce Hiroshima. How about where you are? What matches are you looking forward to this weekend?
Stinger: You are listening to languagecaster.com (in Polish)
Today’s Show
DB: Yes, you are listening to Languagecaster.com. And that message was in Polish.
Right, let’s look ahead at what’s on the show. In a moment, Damian is going to talk about football phrases describing a strong team beating their opponent: can’t live with them is one of them. He focuses on the Liverpool versus Bayer Leverkusen Champions League game last week. That 4-0 win by Liverpool put them on top of the new Champions League league. He’ll also introduce some predictions form the big games this weekend. Before all that, let’s have a quick look at the Champions League and the new league after four games.
This year, there are no groups as in the past, and the top eight teams in the 36-team league will automatically go through to the round of 16. While it is still early, several big teams need to start picking up more points if they are to get in the top eight. For example, Manchester City and Juventus are tenth and eleventh respectively. More surprisingly, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid are 17th and 18th!
The top four after four games are Liverpool, Sporting, Monaco, and Brest. Liverpool have 12 points from a possible 12, while the other three are on ten. That’s the same as Inter in fifth and Barcelona are sixth on nine points. But as only four games have been played – teams will play eight matches, four at home and four away – it is way too early to know how well teams are performing.
Stinger: You are listening to languagecaster.com (in Spanish)
DB: Thanks for that message in Spanish. OK, back to Liverpool, the current leaders in the Premier League and the Champions League. How did they get there? Here’s Damian with a look at their last game.
Can’t live with them
DF: I’m going to look at a phrase that is used in football to describe when one team is more powerful than their opponent and to do this I am going to look at the Liverpool win over Leverkusen from earlier this week. The phrase is ‘can’t live with them’. The Champions League match between Liverpool and German champions Bayer Leverkusen was fairly even at half-time; the score was nil-nil (a goalless first half) with neither side really creating too many chances. But then in the second half Liverpool improved dramatically and scored four times without reply. Leverkusen were unable to live with Liverpool. And this means that when the pressure increased they could not keep up with the Reds. Liverpool were too powerful for them. Leverkusen were unable to live with them.
Blow a Team Away
Now, another expression that is similar to this one is ‘to blow a team away’ – so one team improves their game (or ‘ups their game’ which is another way of saying this) and the opponent has no answer. Here is what the BBC report said about the game: ‘Liverpool maintained their flawless Champions League record by overpowering Bayer Leverkusen’. This idea of overpowering the opposition means that one team is more powerful: stronger; has more running and more tackles. Another word that could be used here is ‘to overwhelm’; Liverpool overwhelmed their opponents – they easily run out winners. Here are a couple more expressions from the same BBC report:
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- Liverpool turned on another second-half show of power as Alonso’s hopes of producing a Champions League shock were blown away against his former club.
So, in this first example, there are two expressions connected to power: ‘Liverpool turned on a second half show of power‘ means that in the second half they were much stronger than their opponents who were blown away – they were easily defeated.
2. Diaz’s composed finish opening the floodgates as the Bundesliga champions could not cope with Liverpool’s intensity.
In the second example, the report uses the phrase, ‘open the floodgates‘ which describes the first of many goals that will follow; in this case, the first of four goals.
3. Is a quote from Liverpool manager Arne Slot. “I felt the momentum was going our way, we knew we would finish strong and if we upped it a couple of gears, like we can”.
So, he uses the expression. ‘to up it a couple of gears‘ which means they became stronger and faster than Leverkusen in the second half.
OK, so we have seen some language to describe how one team becomes more powerful than their opponent. particularly in the second half. We have looked at ‘overwhelm‘; ‘opened the floodgates‘; ‘upped their performance‘; ‘they can’t live with them‘.
Stinger: You are listening to languagecaster.com (in Italian)
DB: Thanks for that message, which was in Italian, and thanks for that Damian. ‘They can’t live with them’ is a great expression. And, it’s always good to hear about Liverpool blowing teams away!
Glossary
DB: Remember, you can find out more about some of the words and phrases that we have already discussed in today’s show, as well as hundreds more football expressions and cliches by coming along to our football-language glossary.
Stinger: You are listening to languagecaster.com (in Dutch)
DB: Thanks for that message which was in Dutch. You are listening to Languagecaster.com and next you’ll be listening to Damian.
Predictions
DF: OK, let’s take a look at the predictions table and after last week’s matches, I am still one point clear at the top with our guests in second place. Damon is in third and he is on 38 points which is six points behind me!
So, in this week’s games we are going to look at three matches from the Premier League and the big game from Italy – a top-of-the-table clash between Inter and Napoli. Let’s start with that one. I watched Inter defeat Arsenal in the Champions League and Atalanta thrash Napoli in Naples last weekend so I think I am going to go for a home win: 2-0 to Inter.
Now, in the Premier League this weekend; underperforming Manchester City will be hoping to break their three-match losing streak away at Brighton. I think they will just about do it. 2-1 in a close game. Leaders Liverpool take on Aston Villa on Saturday evening and I think they will be too strong for a Villa side that, like City, has lost its last three matches. 2-0 to Liverpool for me. And the big game on Sunday is a London derby between Arsenal and Chelsea which I think will end in a 1-1 draw.
What do you think of these predictions? You can add your predictions onto our forum page or here on our website.
Stinger: You are listening to languagecaster.com (in Swedish)
DB: Thanks Damian, and thanks for that message, which was in Swedish. It’s always funny to hear Damian predict an Arsenal game. As a Spurs fan, he can never predict the Gunners to win. I hope his prediction of a 2-0 win for Liverpool is correct and the Reds stay on top going into another international break.
Contact
DB: If you want to let us know your predictions or if you have any questions or comments about any of the language from today or any other football language then drop us an email at admin@languagecaster.com. Don’t forget we also have a football-language forum where you can ask and answer any questions you have on the language of football. And don’t forget, youtube as well, where you can find lots of our podcasts with transcripts there as well. So please spread the word and give us a like or a follow.
Stinger: You are listening to languagecaster.com (in Thai).
Goodbye
DB: OK, that message in Thai brings us to the end of the show. Thanks to all those who sent us messages in their language. Do the same if you can. Just send an audio recording of your ‘Hello. My name is. You are listening to Languagecaster.com’ in your language to admin@languagecaster.com.
Thanks for listening, enjoy all the football and catch you next week! Ta-ra!
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