Soccer Terms & Soccer Rule Definitions

team's away strip is too close a match to their own home 
strip. The goalkeeper wears a distinctive uniform often 
referred to as a team goalkeeper strip. (Law 4)  
Studs: See cleats. (Law 4) 
Substitute: Any one of a team's idle players, on the bench, 
waiting to enter the field of play as players. (Law 3) 
Support: A player on the ball is said to have support when 
he has one or more teammates in position and ready to 
receive a pass. A defending player, challenging the player 
on the ball, is said to have support when a teammate is 
ready to cover if he is beaten by the attacker. 
Sweeper: Position name; usually applied to a central 
defender playing behind the stopper and wing fullbacks with 
responsibility for "sweeping up" loose through balls which 
are played in behind the other defenders. 
Switch: 1. Word used to notify a player that another player 
has left his position, requiring that the open area needs to 
be filled. 2. Instruction to a player on the ball to switch 
the point of attack to another area of the field. 3. 
Instruction to a teammate to trade positions. 
Switch field: The act of directing the ball from one side of 
the field to the other (in other words, from an area near 
one touch line to an area nearer the other touch line). 
Frequently used as a tactic to catch the defense which has 
been drawn to one side of the field and lost its shape. 
Switch off: To trade marking assignments.
System of play: A term used to describe the specific manner 
in which a given formation is implemented. For example, a 
4-4-2 (four fullbacks, four midfielders and two forwards) 
may be implemented with two center backs or with a 
sweeper-stopper combination. The system of play will impose 
a characteristic shape on a team. 
Tackle: A defensive player's ability to dispossess the 
opponent of the ball while the ball is being dribbled. 
Tactics: A description of 'when' and 'why' some action, or 
reaction, is occurring. 
Takeover: A means of transferring possession of the ball 
whereby a teammate of the ball carrier runs toward and past 
him or her; as the teammate passes by, the ballcarrier 
leaves the ball for him or her to take. 
Technical area: A defined area in proximity to a team's 
bench to which the substitutes and coaching staff are 
normally restricted. 
Technique: 'How' an activity is done.
Third strip: See strip. (Law 4)
Through ball: Also "through pass". A pass played into the