A reducer is a brutal challenge on a talented member of the opposing side. The term was first coined by bumbling pundit and casual racist Ron Atkinson. "It's the kind of thing you say to your most competitive defender when he's up against someone skillful: 'Put the reducer on him.'" - Atkinson told popular London Underground seat cushion Metro. Although the term reducer is relatively new to the language of football, the concept of fouling the other side's best player is timeless. Reducers are often performed by no-nonsense players.