The Football Dictionary

A way of rating overhead kicks by comparing them to Trevor Sinclair's famous effort for QPR against Barnsley in the 1997 FA Cup. Sinclair's volley was hit from outside the box, and flew into the back of the net. It's the gold standard. So when someone pulls off a bicycle kick, you place it on the Sinclair Spectrum to judge how good it actually was. Popularised by Max Rushden on the Guardian's Football Weekly podcast.

When a lower league or underdog team knocks out a much bigger club, usually in a cup competition, particularly synonymous with the FA Cup. The smaller team has nothing to lose, give absolutely everything for 90 minutes, and the favourites often look like they can't be bothered. Home advantage at a tight, hostile ground helps too.

Used to describe Tottenham Hotspur's tendency to collapse. If a team is in a strong position and finds a way to throw it away, that would be Spursy. Things like bottling a title race, a late defensive error, or a general inability to get over the line in big moments. Other clubs choke too, but Spurs somehow made it part of their identity.

A player who's completely focused and performing at their peak. When someone's locked in, they're not making mistakes, they're dominant, and they're unplayable. The opposite of a player who's distracted or going through the motions.

The player whose job is to score. There are different types of Striker: poachers who live in the six-yard box (e.g. Inzaghi), complete forwards who do everything (e.g. Henry), target men who hold the ball up (e.g. Drogba), pressing forwards who hunt defenders (e.g. Firmino). The role has evolved a bit, and modern strikers are now often expected to press, link play, and create for others, not just finish.

Fabrizio Romano's catchphrase for confirming a transfer is done. When he posts on social media "Here we go!" it's a sure fire way of knowing a deal is agreed. It's become the unofficial official announcement in football - fans refresh his account constantly during transfer windows waiting for those three words.

Scoring two goals in one game. The word originates from hunting, where a brace meant a pair of birds. Less celebrated than a hat-trick but still a strong individual performance.

How good the shooting opportunities a team creates are, usually measured by average xG per shot. A team taking loads of shots from bad positions has low chance quality. A team taking fewer shots but from good positions has high chance quality. Guardiola teams typically have excellent chance quality because they work the ball into good areas rather than shooting from distance.

Letting the ball run through your legs or past you to a teammate behind, fooling the defender. Instead of controlling or shooting, you show you're going to play the ball, then leave it. The defender buys the fake and is now out of position. Dummies require awareness that someone's behind you and trust that they know what you're doing. When they come off, they look effortless.

A player who excels at free kicks, corners, and penalties. They're the designated taker because they consistently deliver quality. Dead ball specialists matter because set pieces account for roughly 30% of goals. Beckham, Juninho, and Trent Alexander-Arnold are known for this skill. Teams scout specifically for players who can provide quality from dead balls.