We’ve not done one of these in AGES – so here is another addition to our footballing lexicon – the ‘Trequartista’.

A trequartista is a term coined for that mythical ‘second striker’ role, someone who plays in the hole, creates and scores, and is usually supremely gifted.

The Trequartista is not a new advent:

The Austrian ‘Wunderteam’ of the early 1930s had great success with Mathias Sindelar, a centre-forward who constantly dropped deep, and Vsevolod Bobrov did similarly for the Dynamo Moscow tourists who so delighted British crowds in 1945.

It was then Nandor Hidegkuti’s role as a deep-lying centre-forward that so perplexed England when Hungary won 6-3 at Wembley in 1953. If Johnston followed Hidegkuti, he left a hole in the centre of England’s rearguard; if he stayed put, Hidegkuti roamed free.

And is still very much active today – think Baggio and Raul through to currently Aguero and Rooney. Players who are undoubtedly forwards, but drop off into ‘the hole’ to dictate and link play. Think Cantona, think Bergkamp. Think Totti. Think Del Piero.

That is basically a list of my favourite players.

Players who are so good, can be so influential, that a position is carved out for them.They score, they create, they beat players, they link play. They are skilful and difficult to mark.

They are also often difficult to describe, as ‘Trequartista’ has yet to infiltrate its way into the vocabulary of the common football fan.

Hopefully we can begin that process…

‘Trequartista’ – a special type of second striker who plays in ‘the hole’ offering creativity and a goal threat.

I love Trequartistas.

Throughout football writing, journalism and commentary, you hear the occasional, but recurring, adjective/phrase that seems ‘out of place’. Words that have no place in the vocabulary of your average football fan. Yet, they only ever seem to crop up in reference to football.

We’re not talking about ‘dominant’ or ’slide rule pass’ here – but the more eloquent adjectives, the descriptive words that you hear and think you understand, but probably don’t know the actual meaning of.

At Footballsup, we aim to widen your vocabulary and increase your understanding. The second in our series:

di⋅min⋅u⋅tive

[di-min-yuh-tiv]

Common Usage:

The diminutive Gianfranco Zola

Played in by the diminutive striker

Footballing synonyms: Compact, Pint-sized, Pocket-sized, Short, Slight, Squat, Stocky

Full Definition:

-adjective
1.     small; little; tiny: a diminutive building for a model-train layout.
2.     Grammar. pertaining to or productive of a form denoting smallness, familiarity, affection, or triviality, as the suffix -let, in droplet from drop.

–noun
3.     a small thing or person.
4.     Grammar. a diminutive element or formation.
5.     Heraldry. a charge, as an ordinary, smaller in length or breadth than the usual.

Origin:
1350–1400; ME < ML dīminūtīvus, equiv. to L dīminūt(us) lessened (for dēminūtus; see diminution ) + -īvus -ive

So, diminutive: short, compact, pint-sized, often stocky (mainly because short players need to be).
Most often used in reference to strikers – Zola, Tevez, Defoe – largely because that’s the easiest position to get away with a lack of height. But, think also Paul Parker, Alan Wright, Lassan Diarra… The players who filled all dwarves with a sense of what could be.

In football writing, journalism and commentary, you hear the occasional, but recurring, adjective/phrase that seems ‘out of place’ – words that have no place in the vocabulary of your average football fan. Yet, they only ever seem to crop up in reference to football.

I’m not talking about ‘dominant’ or ‘slide rule pass’ here – but the more eloquent adjectives, the descriptive words that you hear and think you understand, but probably don’t know the actual meaning of.

At Footballsup, we aim to widen your vocabulary and increase your understanding. And we start with:

mer⋅cu⋅ri⋅al

/mərˈkyʊəriəl/  [mer-kyoor-ee-uhl]
–adjective

Common usage:

The mercurial Georgi Kinkladze

The mercurial talents of Eyal Berkovic

Footballing synonyms: erratic, temperamental, inconsistent, unpredictable, fickle

Full definition:

1. changeable; volatile; fickle; flighty; erratic: a mercurial nature.
2. animated; lively; sprightly; quick-witted.
3. pertaining to, containing, or caused by the metal mercury.
4. (initial capital letter) of or pertaining to the god Mercury.
5. (initial capital letter) of or pertaining to the planet Mercury.
–noun
6. Pharmacology. a preparation of mercury used as a drug.
Origin:
1350–1400; ME < L mercuriālis of, pertaining to the god or planet

So, mercurial – changeable; volatile; fickle; flighty; erratic – and in footballing terms, blessed with the occasional stroke of genius (from the animated; lively; sprightly; quick-witted side of the definition).

Don’t think Titus Bramble or David James – think Kinkladze and Berkovic, think Ginola and Benarbia, think Van Persie and Nani. Think Lee Trundle. Think of players than can turn a game, players that can provide that little spark – but not all the time, not every game. They are unpredictable, they are fickle – they are mercurial.