Episode Details

This weekend sees our 14th podcast of the season and we look at one of the big grudge matches of the season: Mourinho versus Wenger. We also take a look at some language from the football world last week including the phrases 'to sweat on' and 'to wallop' and feature some of the big games from the Premier League in our predictions battle a€“ including Manchester United vs Arsenal, Southampton v Liverpool and West Ham away at Tottenham in a big London derby. (Damian = DF and Damon = DB). 2016-17 Learn English Through Football Podcast: Manchester United vs Arsenal Subscribe to the show and receive automatic downloads every week Subscribe through i-tunes here Click for the latest shows here Podcast FAQ Transcript of the show DB: You're listening to languagecaster.com's football language podcast. Welcome everyone to the show for all fans of football who wish to learn more about the language of the beautiful game. My name is Damon, and I am talking to you from Tokyo where it is currently raining, which means my team's second round tournament match was called off today! I'm hoping Damian in London is enjoying a better start to the weekend and I also wonder how his trip to Spain was last week. Damian, how are things? DF: Hello Damon. Or Hola Damon! Sorry to hear that your game was postponed; the weather here in London is bright but cold - a lovely winter's day. Yes, last weekend I enjoyed an international break as I was in Málaga in the south of Spain which was great fun. I used to live there a few years ago so it was nice to go back and see all the changes that have occurred there, including the local sideA Málaga CF,Club de Fútbol, who are now a fairly well-established side in the first division in Spain. However, today they take on the powerhouse of Barcelona so not much chance of moving up the table this week! DB: Sounds very nice indeed! OK, well, what's on the show? Line up DF: Well, domestic football returns after the international break and so this means we will be focusing on some of the stories from the World Cup qualifiers that took place earlier in the week. We will also have a couple of new football phrases, including the multi-word verb 'to sweat on'. And our quiz question this week focuses on the Mourinho versus Wenger duel this weekend, and then at the end of the show we will take a look at three big games from the Premier League in our predictions battle, including games with your team Liverpool and my team Tottenham. DB: OK, well let's start with our good, the bad and the ugly section. Damian, what was good for you this week? Good DF: Well, Damon, last week you mentioned the fact Argentina were having a bad time in the CONMEBOL qualifying section but they bounced back in style with a 3-0 victory over Colombia. Leo Messi scored the first goal from a free-kick with a beautiful strike and it seems that Argentina are back on track for World Cup qualification. A Now, I also have to mention Ireland's win away in Austria - this win sees the Republic top a very difficult group and it was also the first away win against a top-ranked side in 30 years. Irish fans are starting to dream. Damon, and bad? What was bad this week in the world of football? Bad DB: Well, first of all congratulations to Ireland! But commiserations for the USA, who have lost two World Cup qualifiers on the bounce - a 2-1 loss to their southern rivals, Mexico, and a 4-0 humiliation at the hands of Costa Rica. Not a good start at all for the Stars and Stripes, leaving them bottom of the CONCACAF table. Ugly? Ugly DF: Well, Damon, a couple of stories from the UK that caught my eye this week. The first is in the Guardian newspaper here in England and it involves Sir Norman Bettison - he's the former chief constable of the South Yorkshire police who has been criticised by families of 96 people unlawfully killed at Hillsborough in 1989. And he was criticised for writing a book about the disaster in which he portrays himself as a victim. DB: