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Nigeria knocked out by Argentina.

Football Shout-out: Missing Chances

Football Shout-out: Missing Chances

Welcome to Football Shout-out from Premier Skills English, where we talk about the language you need when watching a match. Whether you are a super fan or an armchair supporter you won't be able to avoid football on TV this summer. In Football Shout-out, Jack and Rich present useful language to shout at the TV screen when watching a match with or without friends! In this episode, they look at some words and phrases that fans shout when an opposition player or someone on their own team misses a chance. Do you know what 'couldn't hit a barn door with a banjo' means?

Transcript

If the listening was a bit difficult, you can listen and read the transcript at the same time.
Read the transcript and listen at the same time.

Jack: Hello and welcome to Premier Skills English - Football Shout-out 

Rich: Football shoutout is the series that teaches you the language you need when you’re watching the game.

Jack: Hi everybody my name’s Jack 

Rich: and my name’s Rich and welcome to our latest Football Shout-out where we talk about the English you need when you’re watching football.

Jack: If you listened to our last lesson, you will remember this:

Rich: Come on! We need to get the ball off them. Get stuck in!

Jack: That’s it! Good tackle. You’ve got time. Pass it. Pass it! Man on! Ohh. Straight into touch. Come on?!

Rich: We need to keep hold of the ball.

Jack: We need to get it in the box. There’s only a couple of minutes left.

Rich: That’s it. Down the line. Go on skin him. That’s it, go on ... cross it!

Jack: Go on. Have a pop! Goal!! Get in!! 

Rich: We need to hold on to this. Here they come. Get rid of it!! Get it out!

Jack: That’s it. Take it to the corner. That should do. Referee! Come on! That’s got to be it (final whistle sounds - crowd cheers)

Rich: Our last lesson was all about what we shout at our own players when watching a game. If you haven’t heard the lesson, there is a link on the side of this page for you to go back and listen and learn lots of instructions that we scream at our own players during a match.

Jack: This lesson is all about what we shout when we see a player miss a chance.

Rich: You might have heard some expressions like What a miss! And that was close before. In this podcast, we’re going to look at some expressions that might be new for you.

Jack: The phrases and expressions we use often depend on whether it’s our player that has missed a chance or a player on the other side!

Rich: But more often we use the same phrases, we might just be a bit softer when it’s our own player.  Listen to this:

Jack: Go on! Have a shot!

Rich: Unlucky! Against the post!

Jack: Hold on! He’s gone round the keeper. Oh no! What a sitter! I can’t believe he’s missed that.

Rich: My nan could do better than that and she’s 83!

Jack: He’s got to be putting chances like that away. That’s three he’s missed.

Rich: He couldn’t hit a barn door with a banjo this afternoon!

Jack: Penalty!

Rich: Oh no. Look who’s taking it! He hit the last one straight at the keeper!

Jack: Here we go! Oh no! He’s skyed it.

Rich: I can’t believe he’s fluffed another one. That’s miles off target. 

Jack: I think we might have to settle for a draw today. We couldn’t score in a month of Sundays.

Rich: We’ve definitely not got our scoring boots on today.

Jack: Every striker misses chances. Why do you think we are surprised when a player doesn’t score?

Rich: I don’t know. We expect our strikers to score every time, but they never do. Do you know who was the most clinical striker in the Premier League last season?

Jack: Nope.

Rich: It was West Ham’s Mexican striker, Javier Hernandez who scored with 27% of his shots.

Jack: So, everybody misses. In fact, players miss more often than they score or the goalkeeper makes a save.

Rich: And, sometimes players miss sitters, too.

Jack: A sitter. A really easy chance to score. When a player misses an easy chance you can say ‘What a sitter!’.

Rich: I guess we call a sitter a sitter because the chance or opportunity is so easy you could score while sitting on the floor.

Jack: You could also say ‘what a chance’ or ‘what a miss’ when a player misses an easy chance to score.

Rich: In the roleplay, Jack said I can’t believe he missed that. 

Jack: This is when we get lots more expressions - talking about how you feel about the miss or the player that missed. 

Rich: If it’s your player that has missed you might say something like ‘he’s got to be putting chances like that away’ or ‘he should have buried that’. Both of these mean he should have scored and show disappointment and frustration more than anything else. 

Jack: But we use some phrases to insult or make fun of the player a little. Rich said my nan could do better than that - nan is an informal word for grandmother. He also said he couldn’t hit a barn door with a banjo. Where did you hear that?

Rich: I can’t remember, but it’s funny. It means you can’t do something that is really easy to do - score a sitter. I’ve only ever heard this expression connected to football and strikers who miss chances. 

Jack: It’s not only sitters that players miss though and there are other ways to describe misses.

Rich: A shot can be ‘miles off target’ or you can say ‘that’s nowhere near’ or ‘that’s well wide’.

Jack: You get lots of expressions when a player misses a penalty, too. If a player hits the ball over the crossbar you can say he’s skied it.

Rich: Or another two are that’s straight at the keeper or that’s straight down the keeper’s throat. This means that the player kicked the penalty down the middle to the goalkeeper.

Jack: My favourite is more general and it’s the verb to fluff which means to make a mess of a chance. You can say oh no he’s fluffed another one if he’s your player or if he’s on the other side you might say he’s fluffed that up.

Rich: We’ll look at these phrases and a few more in the lesson which you can find below this podcast.

Jack: Listen again. Do you understand everything now?

Jack: Go on! Have a shot!

Rich: Unlucky! Against the post!

Jack: Hold on! He’s gone round the keeper. Oh no! What a sitter! I can’t believe he’s missed that.

Rich: My nan could do better than that and she’s 83!

Jack: He’s got to be putting chances like that away. That’s three he’s missed.

Rich: He couldn’t hit a barn door with a banjo this afternoon!

Jack: Penalty!

Rich: Oh no. Look who’s taking it! He hit the last one straight at the keeper!

Jack: Here we go! Oh no! He’s skyed it.

Rich: I can’t believe he’s fluffed another one. That’s miles off target. 

Jack: I think we might have to settle for a draw today. We couldn’t score in a month of Sundays.

Rich: We’ve definitely not got our scoring boots on today.

Jack: So, there are a few expressions you can use when a player misses a chance. 

Rich: We’ve got some activities to help you remember the phrases that we’ve been speaking about in the lesson below this podcast.

Jack: We’ll be back soon with our next football English lesson, which will be about phrases football fans use when their team is losing.

Rich: Bye for now and enjoy your football.

Language

Missed Chances

Every striker misses chances. Why do you think we are surprised when a player doesn’t score? We expect our strikers to score every time, but they never do. The language we use to describe a missed chance depends on whether it was an easy chance to score, or if it was missed by a player on our team or missed by an opposition player. Take a look at these phrases from the podcast. Do you think we would use these about an opponent or our own player and do you think it was an easy or difficult chance that was missed?

Unlucky. Against the post!

What a sitter! I can't believe he's missed that!

That's miles off target!

My nan could do better than that!

Of course, all of the phrases can be used to speak about your own players and opponents, everything depends on the context of the match but some phrases are more supportive than others. You are much more likely to shout 'unlucky' to your own player than 'my nan could do better than that' which you might shout at an opponent who has missed an easy chance.

Words and Phrases

Easy Chances

In the listening, Rich and Jack spoke about the language we use when players miss a chance or opportunity to score. Sometimes players miss an easy chance to score and you heard Jack and Rich use these phrases:

He's got to be putting chances like that away. That's three he's missed.

What a sitter! I can't believe he's missed that!

He hit the last one straight at the keeper.

Oh no! He's skyed it!

He couldn't hit a barn door with a banjo!

All of these phrases are used to describe a player who has missed an easy chance to score. Let's look at each phrase in a bit more detail:

  1. to put a chance away = to score a goal
  2. what a sitter = a very easy chance, usually a chance that is very close to the goal
  3. straight at the keeper = a player that shoots the ball directly to the goalkeeper, often a penalty
  4. to sky it = to hit the ball over the crossbar, usually a penalty or a shot from close to the goal
  5. he couldn't hit a barn door with a banjo = to describe a striker who is having a bad day and missing lots of chances

Do you know any other phrases connected to missing easy chances?

All of us can miss easy chances sometimes!

Difficult Chances

Sometimes players miss more difficult chances to score. When a player misses a difficult chance, fans are probably more supportive if it's their own player. If it's an opponent, fans probably express relief that they didn't score. Here are some phrases that are used when a player misses a difficult chance: 

Unlucky! Against the post.

That was close!

Good effort!

That could have gone anywhere!

All of these phrases are usually used to describe a player who has missed a more difficult chance to score. Let's look at each phrase in a bit more detail:

  1. Unlucky! = usuallly used to support a player that nearly scored a difficult chance but can also be used sarcastically to shout at an opponent
  2. That was close! = describes a shot that goes near the goal
  3. Good effort! = a good attempt at goal that deserved more
  4. That could have gone anywhere = a fortunate shot that nearly results in a goal; often used when a shot hits an opponent and the ball goes in a different direction (a deflection)

Do you know any other similar phrases?

Both Ronaldo and Messi missed from the spot during the group stages of the World Cup.

Task

Instructions for players

You are watching your team either at the stadium or on TV. Look at the situations below. Decide what you would shout in each situation. Use some of the phrases that Rich and Jack used in the podcast.

  1. A player on your team goes around the goalkeeper but then hits the ball over the top of the goal.
  2. An opponent falls over the ball at the moment he is about to shoot into an empty net.
  3. An opponent hits a volley from 25 metres against the post.
  4. A player on your team goes past three defenders, hits the ball towards the top corner but the goalkeeper makes a good save.

Write your answers in the comments section at the bottom of the page. Can you think of any more situations to use the language in this podcast?

The answers to the quiz below are all words that Rich and Jack used in the roleplay. Can you remember what they said?

Quiz

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What do you think?

Were any of these phrases new for you?

Can you tell us any other phrases that you can shout at players who miss chances? Please keep it clean!

Write your answers in the comments section below and don't forget to write your answers to the task we have given you in the section above.

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Comentários

Camelia Nguyen
22/05/2019
VN
822
points

they are all new with me


Camelia Nguyen
22/05/2019 11:00
Vietnam
Manchester City
822

they are all new with me

ldzingirai's picture
ldzingirai
16/03/2019
ZW
1749
points

Other phrases

Tough luck!


ldzingirai's picture
ldzingirai
16/03/2019 10:12
Zimbabwe
Chelsea
1749

Other phrases

Tough luck!

Maks Poland
30/11/2018
PL
823
points

Peasy.


Maks Poland
30/11/2018 14:19
Poland
Manchester United
823

Peasy.

juandiegolasso
03/09/2018
CO
256
points

Most are new to me.
I can shout to you many things of encouragement.


juandiegolasso
03/09/2018 02:48
Colombia
Tottenham Hotspur
256

Most are new to me.
I can shout to you many things of encouragement.

MariaJoChaux
01/09/2018
CO
534
points

Yes, many of these phrases are new to me.


MariaJoChaux
01/09/2018 16:34
Colombia
Arsenal
534

Yes, many of these phrases are new to me.

Isabellaardi
24/08/2018
CO
561
points

There are some new pharases for me.
get in!
fifty fifty


Isabellaardi
24/08/2018 23:16
Colombia
Manchester United
561

There are some new pharases for me.
get in!
fifty fifty

MajoRPuentes's picture
MajoRPuentes
12/08/2018
CO
672
points

TASK:
-Good effort.
-Unlucky.
-That's miles off target.
-That was close.
I already knew some phrases, but som of these were new to me too.


MajoRPuentes's picture
MajoRPuentes
12/08/2018 23:40
Colombia
Manchester United
672

TASK:
-Good effort.
-Unlucky.
-That's miles off target.
-That was close.
I already knew some phrases, but som of these were new to me too.

MairaPulzara1
11/08/2018
CO
644
points

Yes, for example
you can!


MairaPulzara1
11/08/2018 02:54
Colombia
Arsenal
644

Yes, for example
you can!

Ma.PaulaÁvilaJ
10/08/2018
CO
-903
points

Most are new to me.
I can shout to you many things of encouragement.


Ma.PaulaÁvilaJ
10/08/2018 21:22
Colombia
Liverpool
-903

Most are new to me.
I can shout to you many things of encouragement.

JuanitaVAnacona
10/08/2018
CO
43
points

Several of them are new to me
Ohh, I do not know


JuanitaVAnacona
10/08/2018 21:21
Colombia
Liverpool
43

Several of them are new to me
Ohh, I do not know

Lolabrito
10/08/2018
CO
695
points

1. No, the phrases were familiar to me.
2. Unbelievable! How can you miss that? That was a piece of cake!
Task:
-He's been unlucky today! Against the post. Unbelievable!
-That was close! For sure.


Lolabrito
10/08/2018 18:49
Colombia
Liverpool
695

1. No, the phrases were familiar to me.
2. Unbelievable! How can you miss that? That was a piece of cake!
Task:
-He's been unlucky today! Against the post. Unbelievable!
-That was close! For sure.

PaulaRomero's picture
PaulaRomero
10/08/2018
CO
471
points

No new phrases here.


PaulaRomero's picture
PaulaRomero
10/08/2018 05:15
Colombia
Liverpool
471

No new phrases here.

Oscarordoñez_
10/08/2018
CO
512
points

Super interesting


Oscarordoñez_
10/08/2018 03:21
Colombia
Manchester United
512

Super interesting

Geraldine Pedraza
10/08/2018
CO
513
points

excellent test


Geraldine Pedraza
10/08/2018 02:40
Colombia
Manchester City
513

excellent test

LauraPaladinezP
10/08/2018
CO
829
points

Task:
1. "That was close!"
2. "What a chance" or "What a sitter!"
3. I don't understand this situation, but I could say "miles off target" or "that’s nowhere near", I guess.
4. "Good effort!"

What do you think?
- Yes, the most of these phrases were new for me.
- No, I can't. I don't know any other phrases.


LauraPaladinezP
10/08/2018 00:30
Colombia
Liverpool
829

Task:
1. "That was close!"
2. "What a chance" or "What a sitter!"
3. I don't understand this situation, but I could say "miles off target" or "that’s nowhere near", I guess.
4. "Good effort!"

What do you think?
- Yes, the most of these phrases were new for me.
- No, I can't. I don't know any other phrases.

GermanTrujillo
09/08/2018
CO
462
points

No new phrases for me.


GermanTrujillo
09/08/2018 03:29
Colombia
Newcastle United
462

No new phrases for me.

SophCastroA
09/08/2018
CO
693
points

All of this phrases was new for me.


SophCastroA
09/08/2018 02:58
Colombia
Wolverhampton Wanderers
693

All of this phrases was new for me.

ValentinaSanchez_19
09/08/2018
CO
310
points

good test


ValentinaSanchez_19
09/08/2018 02:05
Colombia
Chelsea
310

good test

MelissaM
09/08/2018
CO
796
points

TASK:
1. That was close!
2. That could have gone anywhere!
3. Good effort!
4. That's miles off target!
WHAT DO YOU THINK:
1. Yes, many of these were new to me
2. No, I think there's no land for the players on my team.


MelissaM
09/08/2018 01:56
Colombia
Manchester United
796

TASK:
1. That was close!
2. That could have gone anywhere!
3. Good effort!
4. That's miles off target!
WHAT DO YOU THINK:
1. Yes, many of these were new to me
2. No, I think there's no land for the players on my team.

Julián Ernesto Castro Renza's picture
Julián Ernesto ...
09/08/2018
CO
761
points

The majority.
It was close!
Great lesson.


Julián Ernesto Castro Renza's picture
Julián Ernesto ...
09/08/2018 00:18
Colombia
Chelsea
761

The majority.
It was close!
Great lesson.

karen mejia's picture
karen mejia
09/08/2018
CO
619
points

All the phrases were new for me.
I do not any other similar sentences.


karen mejia's picture
karen mejia
09/08/2018 00:10
Colombia
Manchester City
619

All the phrases were new for me.
I do not any other similar sentences.

julianvalero
08/08/2018
CO
768
points

Yes, all the sentences were new to me.

I can not say more phrases because I really do not know any more.

TASK
1. Good effort.
2. Unlucky.
3. That's miles off target.
4. That was close!


julianvalero
08/08/2018 23:53
Colombia
Manchester United
768

Yes, all the sentences were new to me.

I can not say more phrases because I really do not know any more.

TASK
1. Good effort.
2. Unlucky.
3. That's miles off target.
4. That was close!

Santiago Rivera
08/08/2018
CO
754
points

1. Some of them are new to me.
2. Oh, come man! How you miss that one! Terrible.

Task:
-Unlucky! Against the post.
-That was close!
-Good effort!


Santiago Rivera
08/08/2018 16:50
Colombia
Liverpool
754

1. Some of them are new to me.
2. Oh, come man! How you miss that one! Terrible.

Task:
-Unlucky! Against the post.
-That was close!
-Good effort!

jFallaT15
08/08/2018
CO
732
points

some phrases but the great majority already knew them.
More concentration boy!


jFallaT15
08/08/2018 03:36
Colombia
Arsenal
732

some phrases but the great majority already knew them.
More concentration boy!

natafonseca
07/08/2018
CO
732
points

1. Yes some, but not all.
2. It was close!
Good game and effort!
How unfortunate!


natafonseca
07/08/2018 23:37
Colombia
Manchester United
732

1. Yes some, but not all.
2. It was close!
Good game and effort!
How unfortunate!

valeriareyes
07/08/2018
CO
658
points

they are all new to me but it is good to learn about soccer


valeriareyes
07/08/2018 23:31
Colombia
Liverpool
658

they are all new to me but it is good to learn about soccer

Santiago GallegoCruz
07/08/2018
CO
268
points

good test


Santiago GallegoCruz
07/08/2018 04:39
Colombia
Manchester City
268

good test

Felipegallegocruz07
07/08/2018
CO
352
points

There were a few words new for me


Felipegallegocruz07
07/08/2018 03:29
Colombia
Manchester United
352

There were a few words new for me

Valenlaverde
07/08/2018
CO
741
points

good quiz


Valenlaverde
07/08/2018 03:18
Colombia
Stoke City
741

good quiz

Santi Gallego Cruz10
07/08/2018
CO
189
points

There were a few words new for me


Santi Gallego Cruz10
07/08/2018 02:38
Colombia
Manchester City
189

There were a few words new for me

MariCortes25
07/08/2018
CO
375
points

good quiz


MariCortes25
07/08/2018 02:23
Colombia
Arsenal
375

good quiz

Maria Del Mar Ortiz
07/08/2018
CO
348
points

super interesting the test


Maria Del Mar Ortiz
07/08/2018 01:37
Colombia
Manchester City
348

super interesting the test

Juaneduardocastro
07/08/2018
CO
442
points

good quiz


Juaneduardocastro
07/08/2018 00:57
Colombia
Chelsea
442

good quiz

SofiaTriana's picture
SofiaTriana
07/08/2018
CO
778
points

If most of these phrases knew them.
And then you could say: how did that put you compass.


SofiaTriana's picture
SofiaTriana
07/08/2018 00:53
Colombia
Chelsea
778

If most of these phrases knew them.
And then you could say: how did that put you compass.

edna.fernan.artu789
06/08/2018
CO
636
points

Good quiz


edna.fernan.artu789
06/08/2018 23:54
Colombia
Arsenal
636

Good quiz

FabiaCa.Ma's picture
FabiaCa.Ma
06/08/2018
CO
533
points

Ho guys


FabiaCa.Ma's picture
FabiaCa.Ma
06/08/2018 23:52
Colombia
Arsenal
533

Ho guys

Manuel Sierra
06/08/2018
CO
343
points

Funny activity


Manuel Sierra
06/08/2018 06:03
Colombia
Manchester City
343

Funny activity

valentinaburgosh
06/08/2018
CO
567
points

GOOD QUIZ


valentinaburgosh
06/08/2018 02:33
Colombia
Manchester United
567

GOOD QUIZ

Luis Miguel Rojas
06/08/2018
CO
362
points

Good quiz


Luis Miguel Rojas
06/08/2018 01:49
Colombia
Chelsea
362

Good quiz

Checho
06/08/2018
CO
641
points

very good lesson


Checho
06/08/2018 00:50
Colombia
Manchester City
641

very good lesson

Juanita Ortiz Tovar's picture
Juanita Ortiz Tovar
05/08/2018
CO
570
points

he most of the phrases were new for me.
Task:
1. Good effort!
2. Unlucky!
3. That's miles off target!
4. That was close!


Juanita Ortiz Tovar's picture
Juanita Ortiz Tovar
05/08/2018 19:04
Colombia
Liverpool
570

he most of the phrases were new for me.
Task:
1. Good effort!
2. Unlucky!
3. That's miles off target!
4. That was close!

catalina2002
05/08/2018
CO
725
points

this lesson is about learning more about soccer culture


catalina2002
05/08/2018 19:04
Colombia
Manchester United
725

this lesson is about learning more about soccer culture

Salomon Sanchez's picture
Salomon Sanchez
05/08/2018
CO
654
points

Is a really good test


Salomon Sanchez's picture
Salomon Sanchez
05/08/2018 16:17
Colombia
Liverpool
654

Is a really good test

Majoescobar23
05/08/2018
CO
430
points

This lesson is all about what we shout when we see a player miss a chance.


Majoescobar23
05/08/2018 04:15
Colombia
Chelsea
430

This lesson is all about what we shout when we see a player miss a chance.

Sierra22
05/08/2018
CO
302
points

Good


Sierra22
05/08/2018 04:10
Colombia
Manchester City
302

Good

PresentStudent
05/08/2018
CO
635
points

Hello.
All phrases are new for me, in this podcast everything it's ok.
No, I do not know anything now, I think everything is very complete.

1.What a sitter! I can't believe he's missed that!
2.My nan could do better than that!
3.Miles over the crossbar!
4.Good effort.
Bye, bye
Thanks for the lesson.


PresentStudent
05/08/2018 02:35
Colombia
Chelsea
635

Hello.
All phrases are new for me, in this podcast everything it's ok.
No, I do not know anything now, I think everything is very complete.

1.What a sitter! I can't believe he's missed that!
2.My nan could do better than that!
3.Miles over the crossbar!
4.Good effort.
Bye, bye
Thanks for the lesson.

LauraFajardo29's picture
LauraFajardo29
05/08/2018
CO
48
points

I already knew some phrases, but som of these were new to me too.
TASK:
-Good effort.
-Unlucky.
-That's miles off target.
-That was close.


LauraFajardo29's picture
LauraFajardo29
05/08/2018 01:21
Colombia
Manchester City
48

I already knew some phrases, but som of these were new to me too.
TASK:
-Good effort.
-Unlucky.
-That's miles off target.
-That was close.

Isabella Duarte
05/08/2018
CO
624
points

There were a few words new for me


Isabella Duarte
05/08/2018 00:11
Colombia
Chelsea
624

There were a few words new for me

Valentina Calderon
04/08/2018
CO
881
points

All these phrases were new for me
That's miles off target!


Valentina Calderon
04/08/2018 22:52
Colombia
Manchester City
881

All these phrases were new for me
That's miles off target!

Camila116
04/08/2018
CO
602
points

The most of the phrases were new for me.


Camila116
04/08/2018 22:26
Colombia
Manchester United
602

The most of the phrases were new for me.

Level

3
Average: 3 (1 vote)

Goals

Skills: Listening

Football English: Missing chances

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