Robbie

Paying a transfer fee in chunks over time rather than all at once. Most big transfers are structured this way - £100m might be £25m a year for four years. It helps the buying club's cash flow and often makes the difference between a deal happening or not. The selling club prefers upfront payment but usually has to compromise.

When a player gains possession for their team after it was previously contested or loose. Different from tackles or interceptions - it's about picking up second balls, collecting clearances, and mopping up loose possession. Midfielders who win lots of ball recoveries are often underrated because the stat doesn't get as much attention as tackles or goals.

A player who stays calm when opponents close them down and finds a way out. They don't panic, don't give the ball away under pressure, and often draw fouls or find passes others would miss. Busquets was the gold standard for years - teams pressed him and he'd just spin away or thread a pass through a tiny gap. Modern midfielders get rated heavily on this quality.

A goalkeeper who specialises at playing high and 'sweeping' up behind the defence. They are generally quick to come off their line and are all about snuffing out the threat from the ball over the top of the defence. Bayern Munich's Manuel Neuer is often cited as the perfect example of the sweeper keeper.

Internet term for a player or manager who's supposedly overrated and not as good as their reputation suggests. Can be affectionate ("bald fraud" for Guardiola when City lose) or genuinely hostile. The accusation is that they've tricked everyone into thinking they're better than they are. Applied to pretty much every successful figure after a bad result.