Football as a sport isn’t synonymous with a wide and varied diction. Unlike cricket with its articulate commentators and university educated players, football doesn’t lend itself quite so readily to eloquence.
The consequence of such a stunted vocabulary is that the few words in common parlance have a greater depth of meaning. Here are a few terms used to describe players and their deeper connotations.
Playmaker [noun]: Doesn’t defend but doesn’t score many either.
Typically English [adjective] (1. He’s a typically English centre-forward): Lacking in technical and tactical know-how.
No-nonsense [adjective]: No skill. Probably good in the air.
Good in the air [idiom]: Bad on the deck.
Hard-working [adjective]: See no-nonsense.
Battler [noun]: Defensively minded; violent tendencies.
Can you think of any more?