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Every week during the 2010-11 season, the Languagecaster team explain a football phrase or cliche for learners of English who love the sport. We look at the football phrase ‘to be in acres of space‘ which refers to when players always have lots of room to play. You can find many more examples by going to our football phrase page here football cliches here and our huge football glossary here. Check out our glossary of footballing phrases here and if you have any suggestions, contact us at admin@languagecaster.com.
Acres of Space
This week’s English for football phrase is to be in ‘acres of space‘. An acre is a measure of land used commonly in the UK. It is approximately 4,000 square meters, nearly the size of a football pitch. If a player receives the ball with no opposing player near them, you can say they are ‘in space‘ – they have time to move, pass or shoot. If a player has the ball with a lot of space, you say they are in ‘acres of space‘. When this happens you usually expect the player to make a great pass or have a shot on goal. To be in acres of space.
Examples
- Allowed acres of space for both goals, Wesley coolly controlled Anwar El Ghazi’s cross with his chest before slotting in the first and then evaded his marker to tap in Hourihane’s low cross for the second [BBC.co.uk, 5th October 2019]
- But Rashford scored with United’s next attack as he was left in acres of space by the Norwich defence. [BBC.co.uk, 27 October 2019]
- Shane Duffy missed a straightforward challenge and Danny Ings spread the ball into acres of space on the left for Djenepo. [Mail Online, 24 August 2019]
- He was just inside the box and in acres of room but hit his shot side-foot and straight down the throat of Vicente Guaita, who claimed it comfortably. [Guardian.co.uk, 2019]
Learn English Through Football Podcast: A show for football fans to improve their English language skills
Waht does “path” mean in this context? Also, what is the meaning of ” a long way back”?
GOAL! What a goal this is! Lovren plays a delightful long pass from front to back into the path of Origi, who brings the ball down before sending the ball over Pickford. Once again, it is a ong way back for Everton.
To pass a ball into a team mate’s path means to give an accurate pass. The idea of a ball arriving into the path of a player suggests that the player receiving the ball does not have to break stride or change the way they are running in order to receive this pass.