Up the pitch

[Kontol]

What does "up" mean in this sentence? Does it mean "on?" So "on the pitch."

Off we go! Fulham get the game underway.
In the opening moments it looks like we're employing a 4-4-2 formation, with Paqueta right up the pitch alongside Bowen, but I wonder if that will remain the case.
Kudus is wide on the right and Fornals wide on the left. You know the rest!

Fulham vs West Ham United

Fulham v West Ham United on Sun, 10/12/2023 - 14:00

www.whufc.com

 

[Tarheel]

Do you what "the pitch" is?

 

[emsr2d2]

I would take it to mean he's in an attacking position. If someone is "up the pitch" in football, it usually means they're in the half of the pitch in which their team is trying to score.

 

[jutfrank]

Yes, it's talking about his position as a second striker.

Here: https://formation-y.com/en/formation/west_ham.html

 

[Kontol]

OK. "Up" suggests the player is in an attacking position. My confusion is about "the pitch". I know its meaning. Is it short for "the opponent's pitch?" Which the word "opponent" is left out. So "up the pitch" would mean "on the opponent's pitch" or "on the half of the opponent's pitch", perhaps.

 

[emsr2d2]

OK. "Up" suggests the player is in an attacking position. My confusion is about "the pitch". I know its meaning. Is it short for "the opponent's pitch?" Which the word "opponent" is left out. So "up the pitch" would mean "on the opponent's pitch" or "on the half of the opponent's pitch", perhaps.

There is only one pitch! It's the entire area on which a football match is played. There are two halves of the pitch, separated by the imaginitively-named "halfway line" but there is no "opponent's pitch". A football pitch is 110 yards (100.58 metres) long and 70 yards (64.01 metres) wide. That's it. Whenever you see the word "pitch" in football, it refers to the entire area.

 

[Tarheel]

@Kontol Do you watch the games on TV?

 

[SoothingDave]

Another of those BrE/AmE things is that closer to the goal in American football is down the field.