Medium: Slow down
Medium: Slow down
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 to slow down.
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 to slow down. Something can slow down or we can slow something down.
Jack: The phrase slow down can be used in several ways. Let’s start with how we often see it used in football.
Rich: We often talk about a team slowing the game down. When we try to slow something down we are trying to make something go at a slower speed or be less active.
Jack: One team might pass the ball around a lot in defence to slow the game down against opponents who want to play at high speed and at a high intensity.
Rich: A team might also slow the game down if they are winning and it’s near the end of the game. They will slow the game down by keeping the ball and taking their time when they have a throw-in or a free-kick.
Jack: So, a team can slow a match down - we can slow something down. We can also slow someone down.
Rich: Someone might be walking or talking too fast and you can ask them to slow down.
Jack: We often use the phrase to describe something that makes us go slower. Lots of traffic on the roads might slow you down.
Rich: A defender might put pressure on an attacker with the ball which will slow the player down.
Jack: You can also use the expression to slow up - no, to slow up is not the opposite of slow down it can actually mean the same.
Rich: The match slowed up in the second half. Sorry we’re late, the traffic slowed us up.
Jack: To slow down also means to go more slowly or be less active. The car slowed down before it stopped.
Rich: When I go for a run I usually slow down after about 10 kilometres.
Jack: You mean you slow down after 10 metres, not 10 kilometres.
Rich: Ah, yes. Football matches often slow down near the end of the game because players are tired or because it’s very hot.
Jack: We also talk about players slowing down as they get older. A player might be a winger or a box-to-box midfielder when they are younger but a central midfielder when they get older.
Rich: Players slow down as they get older and need to adapt if they want to carry on playing at a high level.
Jack: Other things slow down too. The economy slows down from time to time and we might need to slow down too sometimes.
Rich: Yes, if you work a lot it’s a good idea to slow down sometimes and take a break.
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
- Why do teams sometimes try to slow play down?
Write your answers in the comments section below.
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Comments
08/08/2023
points
Some teams try to slow the play down to pass time so they can win or at least draw if they are playing against stronger teams.
08/08/2023 20:26
Manchester City
383
Some teams try to slow the play down to pass time so they can win or at least draw if they are playing against stronger teams.
20/02/2022
points
The football teams which are leading two or more goals in the match usually try to slow play up.
20/02/2022 10:02
Manchester United
738
The football teams which are leading two or more goals in the match usually try to slow play up.
11/05/2021
points
It might be in situations that they are winning and the match is getting to its end. They could buy themselves some time by slowing down the free kicks, goal kicks, etc.
11/05/2021 15:54
Arsenal
1512
It might be in situations that they are winning and the match is getting to its end. They could buy themselves some time by slowing down the free kicks, goal kicks, etc.
05/04/2021
points
because they might slow the match down if they are winning and the game is nearly to end. They will slow the game down by keeping the ball and taking their time when they have a throw-in or a free-kick.
Also making exchanges if it's possible to win more time.
05/04/2021 13:05
Arsenal
438
because they might slow the match down if they are winning and the game is nearly to end. They will slow the game down by keeping the ball and taking their time when they have a throw-in or a free-kick.
Also making exchanges if it's possible to win more time.
10/02/2021
points
Unnecesarry long runs and tackles make footballers exhausted. They have to use their breath effectively. They also should care about wellness. I can’t imagine a player who does regularly exercises and care about her/his stamina will get tired.
There are a lot of examples of players who continues footboll career until (30-35) years old except goal keepers.
Slowing the match down mustn't be part of manager’s tactic. Fans always want to watch an "end to end" matches included spectacular positions.
Jokes of the day-:)
• The footballers who come from “slow cities/ Cittaslow” try to slow the game down.
•Attention! Slow your car up while driving but not your tempo while walking.
10/02/2021 16:55
Tottenham Hotspur
5560
Unnecesarry long runs and tackles make footballers exhausted. They have to use their breath effectively. They also should care about wellness. I can’t imagine a player who does regularly exercises and care about her/his stamina will get tired.
There are a lot of examples of players who continues footboll career until (30-35) years old except goal keepers.
Slowing the match down mustn't be part of manager’s tactic. Fans always want to watch an "end to end" matches included spectacular positions.
Jokes of the day-:)
• The footballers who come from “slow cities/ Cittaslow” try to slow the game down.
•Attention! Slow your car up while driving but not your tempo while walking.
10/07/2020
points
Brighton 1 : 4 ManCity
10/07/2020 05:40
Liverpool
6578
Brighton 1 : 4 ManCity
10/07/2020
points
Sheffield 1 : 3 Chelsea
10/07/2020 05:39
Liverpool
6578
Sheffield 1 : 3 Chelsea
10/07/2020
points
Liverpool 3 : 0 Burnley
10/07/2020 05:39
Liverpool
6578
Liverpool 3 : 0 Burnley
10/07/2020
points
Watford 2 : 1 Newcastle
10/07/2020 05:38
Liverpool
6578
Watford 2 : 1 Newcastle
10/07/2020
points
Norwich 1 : 1 West Ham
10/07/2020 05:38
Liverpool
6578
Norwich 1 : 1 West Ham
10/07/2020
points
Yesterday on the road on my way home from my summer house on a bike I had to slow down when I felt tired not to get into trouble.
10/07/2020 05:37
Liverpool
6578
Yesterday on the road on my way home from my summer house on a bike I had to slow down when I felt tired not to get into trouble.
10/07/2020
points
I'm not in the position to slow down if I aim to get to the leader's place again.
10/07/2020 05:34
Liverpool
6578
I'm not in the position to slow down if I aim to get to the leader's place again.
09/07/2020
points
Teams sometimes slow down because they get what they want from the game like they are winning 3-0 or 4-0 so they want to save their energy for the next game or the players might feel tired and couldn't cope with the pace at the last 5 or 10 minutes in the game so they slow down.
Also , the manager might ask his players to slow down to absorb the enthusiasm of the other team after conceding a goal from a tactical point of view or other team might slow down to control the rhythm of the game.
09/07/2020 15:58
Manchester United
6539
Teams sometimes slow down because they get what they want from the game like they are winning 3-0 or 4-0 so they want to save their energy for the next game or the players might feel tired and couldn't cope with the pace at the last 5 or 10 minutes in the game so they slow down.
Also , the manager might ask his players to slow down to absorb the enthusiasm of the other team after conceding a goal from a tactical point of view or other team might slow down to control the rhythm of the game.
09/07/2020
points
Because they have a better chance to win the match near the end of the game, but if the teams are in a cup competiton, they have to keep the resault in their hands and that doesn't matter if you lost the game in the second leg.
09/07/2020 11:15
Chelsea
3396
Because they have a better chance to win the match near the end of the game, but if the teams are in a cup competiton, they have to keep the resault in their hands and that doesn't matter if you lost the game in the second leg.