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Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez.

Medium: Counter-attack

Medium: Counter-attack

Premier Vocabulary is a mini-podcast for you to learn football English one word at a time. We have three different levels for you: easy, medium and hard.

This episode is medium so we’re looking at football words and phrases you need to describe what’s happening on the pitch or words and phrases fans and commentators on TV might use. There are lots of phrasal verbs to learn at this level.

Summary

Learn more football vocabulary with Premier Skills English. Each lesson in our Premier Vocabulary section looks at one football word or phrase. This lesson looks at the phrase counter-attack

You can find more lessons on the side of this page.

Transcript

Rich: Hello my name’s Rich and welcome to Premier Skills English - Premier Vocabulary.

Jack: Hi there! I’m Jack. We’re here to help you with your football English. Premier Vocabulary is a mini-podcast for you to learn football English one word at a time. 

Rich: We have three different levels for you: easy, medium and hard.

Jack: This episode is medium so we’re looking at football words and phrases you need to describe what’s happening on the pitch or words and phrases fans and commentators on TV might use. There will be lots of phrasal verbs to learn at this level.


Rich: The phrase we are looking at in this episode is counter-attack.

Jack: Counter-attack can be used as a noun or a verb and sometimes it’s written as one word and sometimes a hyphen is used between the words.

Rich: Counter-attack is a compound word - it puts two words together to create a new idea so I usually write it with a hyphen. 

Jack: If you’re not sure whether to use a hyphen or not with compound words it’s best to check in a good online dictionary like Cambridge, Oxford or Merriam-Webster. I’ve just checked counter-attack and Cambridge dictionary doesn’t use a hyphen, Oxford does use a hyphen and Merriam-Webster says either can be used.

Rich: Let’s look at the meaning of counter-attack. Like so many words and phrases in sport, it’s original meaning comes from war and the battlefield.

Jack: We often describe a match as a battle, we use words like defend, attack and shoot. All of them were used to speak about war before they were used to speak about sport and football.

Rich: Counter-attack is another example. A counter-attack is an attack made in response to an enemy’s attack.

Jack: On the battlefield, a counter-attack is often a fast response to an enemy’s attack and is intended to stop further enemy attacks.

Rich: We often hear the collocation a swift counter-attack which we also hear football commentators us.

Jack: Let’s look at how counter-attack is used in football.


Rich: The meaning of counter-attack is similar in football to how it’s used in war. A counter-attack is a fast attack in response to another team’s attack.

Jack: Counter-attacks are usually used by teams that are mainly defensive and don’t have the ball too much.

Rich: A team defend a lot and let the opposition attack and have the majority of possession. When the opposition eventually lose the ball, the team attacks quickly with a number of players.

Jack: The opposition still have lots of players in attacking parts of the pitch so there is lots of space and chances to score on the counter-attack.

Rich: On the counter-attack - that’s a phrase we hear to describe teams that play in this way. When Leicester City won the Premier League they played on the counter-attack.

Jack: Yes, they were a brilliant counter-attacking side.

Rich: When teams play Liverpool or Manchester City they often play on the counter-attack as they think this is the best chance for them to win. 

Jack: You might also hear people just shorten on the counter attacker to on the counter. Leicester were brilliant on the counter. There’ll be lots of chances for them on the counter.

Rich: Counter-attack - a style of play that involves attacking with speed from a defensive position.


Jack: There is the final whistle!

Rich: We’ll be back soon with more Premier Vocabulary from Premier Skills English.

Jack: Bye for now and enjoy your football. 

Discuss

  • Is it becoming more common to play on the counter-attack?
  • What's the best counter-attacking goal/performance you can remember?

Write your answers in the comments section below.

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Comments

Michaelsun
01/03/2022
CN
738
points

It’s becoming more common for the teams which are underdog play on the counter-attack.


Michaelsun
01/03/2022 14:35
China
Manchester United
738

It’s becoming more common for the teams which are underdog play on the counter-attack.

Gabriel Amaral's picture
Gabriel Amaral
19/05/2021
BR
1512
points

I don't think so. Playing on counter attack is a style of play that exists since footbal was created. And plenty of times, even if a team is not playing by this strategy, the game itself brings the opportunity to do so.
I remember Gareth Bale's goal for Real Madrid against Barcelona in 2014. That was amazing! Combining team effort and individual skills.


Gabriel Amaral's picture
Gabriel Amaral
19/05/2021 15:26
Brazil
Arsenal
1512

I don't think so. Playing on counter attack is a style of play that exists since footbal was created. And plenty of times, even if a team is not playing by this strategy, the game itself brings the opportunity to do so.
I remember Gareth Bale's goal for Real Madrid against Barcelona in 2014. That was amazing! Combining team effort and individual skills.

Fjchaves1991
31/08/2020
BR
185
points

When a common team play against a big team they usually play on counter - attack, if they face Liverpool, for instance, equal by equal ,the chances decrease.

Barcelona 2x2 Chelsea - Champions League 2011/12.


Fjchaves1991
31/08/2020 15:26
Brazil
Manchester City
185

When a common team play against a big team they usually play on counter - attack, if they face Liverpool, for instance, equal by equal ,the chances decrease.

Barcelona 2x2 Chelsea - Champions League 2011/12.

Shohei Komatsu's picture
Shohei Komatsu
28/08/2020
JP
30
points

Japan vs Belgium in World Cup 2018 is the best counter attack I think.
I thought we can win to Belgium at 1st half however....
If I weren’t Japanese , this is the best Match in World Cup 2018.


Shohei Komatsu's picture
Shohei Komatsu
28/08/2020 04:14
Japan
Chelsea
30

Japan vs Belgium in World Cup 2018 is the best counter attack I think.
I thought we can win to Belgium at 1st half however....
If I weren’t Japanese , this is the best Match in World Cup 2018.

mobeckham's picture
mobeckham
26/08/2020
TR
6539
points

The best one I can remember is the goal scored by Cristiano Ronaldo vs Arsenal in the Champions League semi-finals when he was playing for Manchester United and it was a quick pass to Park Ji-Song then Park passed the ball forward to Rooney then Rooney crossed it on the ground to Cristiano who outpaced Willian Gallas at that time.


mobeckham's picture
mobeckham
26/08/2020 21:42
Turkey
Manchester United
6539

The best one I can remember is the goal scored by Cristiano Ronaldo vs Arsenal in the Champions League semi-finals when he was playing for Manchester United and it was a quick pass to Park Ji-Song then Park passed the ball forward to Rooney then Rooney crossed it on the ground to Cristiano who outpaced Willian Gallas at that time.

mobeckham's picture
mobeckham
26/08/2020
TR
6539
points

It's more common nowadays especially when the gap is widened between Premier League teams as Manchester City and Liverpool is on a different level than other teams so they tend to play on the counter-attack to defend with most of the players and use the pace of the attacking players like Rashford , Martial , Greenwood and Dan James at United.


mobeckham's picture
mobeckham
26/08/2020 21:38
Turkey
Manchester United
6539

It's more common nowadays especially when the gap is widened between Premier League teams as Manchester City and Liverpool is on a different level than other teams so they tend to play on the counter-attack to defend with most of the players and use the pace of the attacking players like Rashford , Martial , Greenwood and Dan James at United.

Alex_from_Ukraine's picture
Alex_from_Ukraine
26/08/2020
UA
6578
points

My previous video helped me to remember the Alisson-Salah counter-attacking chef-d'oeuvre. :-) 

Edit: Search for Alisson to Salah goal on YouTube. It's brilliant!


Alex_from_Ukraine's picture
Alex_from_Ukraine
26/08/2020 17:34
Ukraine
Liverpool
6578

My previous video helped me to remember the Alisson-Salah counter-attacking chef-d'oeuvre. :-) 

Edit: Search for Alisson to Salah goal on YouTube. It's brilliant!

Richard
28/08/2020
0
points

Hi Alex,

I hope you don't mind that I edited your messages. We have to be careful about copyright and ownership over recorded action and highlights.

It was a brilliant goal!!!

Rich - The Premier Skills English Team 


Richard
28/08/2020 12:03


0

Hi Alex,

I hope you don't mind that I edited your messages. We have to be careful about copyright and ownership over recorded action and highlights.

It was a brilliant goal!!!

Rich - The Premier Skills English Team 

Alex_from_Ukraine's picture
Alex_from_Ukraine
26/08/2020
UA
6578
points

I could not remember well the best counter-attacking goal - so I just looked into the youtube and that's what I found: 

Edit: Search for best counter-attacking goals on YouTube. There are some fantastic goals!


Alex_from_Ukraine's picture
Alex_from_Ukraine
26/08/2020 17:26
Ukraine
Liverpool
6578

I could not remember well the best counter-attacking goal - so I just looked into the youtube and that's what I found: 

Edit: Search for best counter-attacking goals on YouTube. There are some fantastic goals!

Alex_from_Ukraine's picture
Alex_from_Ukraine
26/08/2020
UA
6578
points

- Is it becoming more common to play on the counter-attack?

 - Playing on the counter-attack effectively is a long-and-hard- acquired skill - not many teams can boast of this, so it will never become a common mastery.


Alex_from_Ukraine's picture
Alex_from_Ukraine
26/08/2020 17:21
Ukraine
Liverpool
6578

- Is it becoming more common to play on the counter-attack?

 - Playing on the counter-attack effectively is a long-and-hard- acquired skill - not many teams can boast of this, so it will never become a common mastery.

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