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Welcome to The Tap-Inn. We serve simple, witty, twice weekly explainers to help you make sense of the world’s most popular sport. No spreadsheets, no PhD-level tactics, no nonsense.
—Joe, your Irish bartender (no, really)
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All you need to know about the international break
Plus: why the Premier League is putting its feet up for three weeks, Arsenal's shock defeat, and the first game in international soccer history
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What happens when you get a red card?
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Manchester's loudest day of the season is here
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“Honeymoon period”
/ˈhʌ.niˌmuːn ˈpɪr.i.əd/
phrase · soccer
- Definition:
- The early stretch after a new arrival where fans, media and even players give the benefit of the doubt, regardless of what the performances actually look like.
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Understand soccer? Let’s find out.
Ten things we’ve overheard at the bar. Ten chances to prove you know what they mean.
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Browse allWhy do soccer teams play in so many competitions?
Why clubs juggle their domestic league, knockout cups and European tournaments across the same season.
What do soccer formations like 4-4-2 and 4-3-3 mean?
How to read the numbers in common soccer formations and what they reveal about a team's intentions.
What is the Carabao Cup?
England's second domestic knockout competition, why it keeps changing names, and why clubs care more than they admit.