T

Striking the ball with the end of your boot rather than your laces or instep. Coaches used to tell kids never to do it because it's inaccurate, but sometimes it's the only way to get a shot off quickly. When a defender is about to block or the ball is bouncing awkwardly, a toe poke can surprise the keeper because the shot comes out faster than expected.

The Dutch system from Ajax and the Netherlands national team in the 1970s, developed under Rinus Michels and Johan Cruyff. The core idea: any outfield player can swap into any other position. A defender becomes a midfielder, a midfielder becomes a winger, and so on. It demanded versatile players who could press together, spring the offside trap, and switch between attack and defense quickly. Still talked about as one of the sport's great tactical experiments.

The last day of a transfer window when clubs can sign players. In England, windows close at 11pm on deadline day in summer (late August/early September) and winter (late January/early February). Sky Sports turned it into a TV event with reporters standing outside training grounds waiting for cars to arrive. Most deals get done in the final hours, with agents and clubs scrambling to submit paperwork before the deadline.

The moment possession changes hands. Attacking transition means winning the ball and going forward before the opponent can organize. Defensive transition means losing it and either pressing immediately or sprinting back. Both sides are vulnerable during transitions, which is why tactical analysis focuses on them so much. Teams that handle these moments well can control games without dominating possession.

Italian for playing "in the three-quarters" zone between midfield and attack. The trequartista finds pockets of space between the opposition's midfield and defensive lines, receives the ball, creates chances, and links play. Baggio, Rui Costa, and Totti were the classic examples. The role has morphed into what we now call a "number 10" or "enganche."