Tactical Variables Related to Gaining the Ball in Advanced Zones of the Soccer Pitch: Analysis of Differences Among Elite Teams and the Effect of Contextual Variables

Analysis of player speed and angle toward the ball in soccer

The study analyzes how the magnitude and angle of the speed of soccer players change according to the distance to the ball and the phases of the game, namely the defensive and attacking phases. We observed how the role played in the team (goalkeeper, defender, midfielder, or forward) strongly determines the speed pattern of players. As a general trend, the speed's modulus is incremented as their position is closer to the ball, however, it is slightly decreased when arriving at it. Next, we studied how the angle of the speed with the direction to the ball is related to the distance to the ball and the game phases. We observed that, during the defensive phase, goalkeepers are the players that run more parallel to the ball, while forwards are the ones running more directly to the ball position. Importantly, this behavior changes dramatically during the attacking phase. Finally, we show how the proposed methodology can be used to analyze the speed-angle patterns of specific players to understand better how they move on the pitch according to the distance to the ball.

Description of the Collective Behavior in Competition of Young Soccer Players Under-16 (U-16), Under-17 (U-17), Under-19 (U-19), and Under-23 (U-23), Considering the Areas of the Pitch and Phases of the Game

ABSTRACT

Nieto, S, Echeazarra, I, Errekagorri, I, and Castellano, J. Description of the collective behavior in competition of young soccer players under-16 (U-16), under-17 (U-17), under-19 (U-19), and under-23 (U-23), considering the areas of the pitch and phases of the game. J Strength Cond Res 38(4): 714-723, 2024-The objective was to employ an integrated observational-notational record to describe collective behavior (CB) in competition matches of young soccer players from 4 teams, U-16, U-17, U-19, and U-23, playing for a professional soccer club academy. A total of 1,481 possessions were registered. Collective behavior, captured by GPS devices, was described with the variables: depth, surface area, stretch index, length, and width. In addition, from the notational analysis, the behavior depending on the area of the field (Z1, Z2, Z3, and Z4) and ball possession (POS), nonball possession (nPOS), and set pieces phases were contextualized. A 2-tailed analysis of variance was applied to compare the CB of the teams. Results show that: (a) in all ages/categories, CB varied significantly in and without the possession of the ball and was conditioned by the area of the pitch where the ball was; (b) CB showed higher values with the ball and greater variability without it; and (c) depending on the age, CB presented differences with larger effect sizes in depth and length, in and without the possession of the ball, in Z1 and Z2. Integrating positional data to the moment of play and areas of the field could help a more accurate analysis of the competition to better understand the CB evolution of young soccer players.

Analysis of defensive playing styles in the professional Chinese Football Super League

Describing and measuring different team styles of play during matches is a key step towards a more predictive and prescriptive performance analysis. The current study aimed to identify and measure different defensive playing styles in professional football via Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The sample comprised all 240 matches played in the Chinese Football Super League (CSL) during the 2018 season. Seventeen key performance indicators (KPIs), 15 defense-related and 2 physical-related were identified from sixty-two defensive performance indicators. Those metrices were significantly different between when teams lost and did not lose (p<0.05, ES=0.03-0.22). The value of Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin for KPIs was 0.81. Then PCA model based on 17 KPIs outputted eight principal factors representing 7 different styles of play (factor 6 and 8 represented one style) and explaining 83.01% of the total variance. Of all styles, defense close to own goal, which included clearance, ball gain in the zone 1, deep completion and unsuccessful cross of the opponent, was the most dominant style (31.92% of the total variance). The champion of the league (Shanghai SIPG FC) showed better scores in all styles of play, while the last ranked team (Guizhou Hengfeng) got the highest score in defense close to the own goal. The study indicated that a team's defensive style could be defined by specific KPIs, and teams are suggested to attune their defending styles consciously rather than maintaining a consistent strategy so as to achieve better performance. Moreover, the categorization of defensive styles could be used during scouting and match preparation.

Quantifying the Effectiveness of Defensive Playing Styles in the Chinese Football Super League

Establishing and illustrating a predictive and prescriptive model of playing styles that football teams adopt during matches is a key step toward describing and measuring the effectiveness of styles of play. The current study aimed to identify and measure the effectiveness of different defensive playing styles for professional football teams considering the opponent's expected goal. Event data of all 1,120 matches played in the Chinese Football Super League (CSL) from the 2016 to 2020 seasons were collected, with fifteen defense-related performance variables being extracted. The PCA model (KMO = 0.76) output eight factors that represented 7 different styles of play (factor 6 and 8 represent one style of play) and explained 85.17% of the total variance. An expected goal (xG) model was built using data related to 27,852 shots. Finally, the xG of the opponent was calculated in the multivariate regression model, outputting five factors that (p < 0.05) explained 41.6% of the total variance in the xG of the opponent and receiving a dangerous situation (factor 7) was the most apparent style (31.3%). Finally, the predicted model with defensive styles correlated with actual xG of the opponent at r = 0.62 using the 2020 season as testing data which showed that the predicted xG was correlated moderately with the actual. The result indicated that if the team strengthened the defense closed to the own goal, high intensity confrontation, and defense of goalkeeper, meanwhile making less errors and receiving less dangerous situations, the xG of the opponent would be greatly reduced.

Do we need a more flexbible use of Team Timeout calling? Evidence from the Handball Bundesliga

Calling a Team Timeout (TTO) is one of the coaches' most important tools. Given the key competitive advantage to determine your own timing, it is crucial to make a good decision when to use a TTO. Existing research shows that teams can benefit in general from TTOs and that they are called at the end of the game and when trailing (Gomes et al., 2014; Gutiérrez-Aguilar et al., 2016; Prieto et al., 2016). However, to generate relevant findings, situational variables must be included (Fernandez-Navarro et al., 2020; Gómez, Lago-Peñas et al., 2015). By integrating situational variables like scoring streak and player difference and higher-order interactions, this study aims to identify specific game situations where TTOs are most effective. Based on 850 games of the German Handball Bundesliga, game situations are identified by Classification Tree Analysis and efficacies are evaluated. Findings indicate a strong impact of timing. Frequently used TTOs, e.g., at the end of periods, are beneficial to the teams. However, strongest effect occurs for TTOs taken at the early stages of the game and with a positive run. Results indicate that TTO is a powerful tactical tool and an application at uncommon timings may even enhance the success rate.

The porous high-press? An experimental approach investigating tactical behaviours from two pressing strategies in football

The aim of this study was to analyse footballers' tactical behaviours from their position data, as an effect of two contrasting pressing strategies, high-press defending and deep-defending, using a trial-based experimental approach. Sixty-nine youth footballers participated in this 11 versus 11 study, performing 72 trials of attack versus defence, in a counterbalanced crossover study design. Players' position data were captured using a local positioning system, and processed to calculate measures of inter-team distance, trial duration, distance to nearest opponent, dispersion, team length, team width, team shape, space control gain, inter-line distance, and individual area. This was augmented by the notational analyses of passes. The findings showed that using a high-press defending strategy leads to: closer inter-team distance; larger dispersion, due to a longer team length; and larger inter-line distances between defenders, midfielders, and forwards. The resulting effects on the attacking team include reduced ball possession time; larger individual areas for attacking midfielders and forwards; longer team length; and more penetrative passes performed. Some differences in marking behaviour were also observed. Consequently, the study recommends that high-press defending be used sparingly due to these trade-offs.

Playing Ludomotor Activities in Lleida During the Spanish Civil War: An Ethnomotor Approach

The traditional ludomotor activities (LA) are recognized by UNESCO as an intangible piece of cultural heritage. The ethnomotricity analyzes LA in its sociocultural context, taking into account the proprieties of rules or motor conditions (internal logic) and the link with local culture (external logic). The aim of this research was to identify and reveal the distinctive ethnomotor features of LA in order to understand the adaptations that occurred in the social scenario of the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939) in Lleida. The corpus of the research was constituted by 101 LA which were collected from the analysis of 20 semi-structured interviews. An “ad hoc” tool was designed and agreed upon by expert observers. It was comprised of a total of 27 ethnomotor variables related to LA. The experts achieved high reliability [Cohen’s kappa coefficient (κ) and Spearman’s correlation coefficient = 1] when the classification of LA was carried out on two different occasions. Descriptive statistics, cross-tabulations (Pearson’s chi-squared) effect sizes, and two-step clusters were performed by external and internal logic variables. The presence or absence of motor interaction (X² = 9.029; df = 1; p < 0.003; ES = 0.298) was enlightening when comparing LA with and without a war connotation. On the other hand, the hierarchy of variables rested primarily on IL-Domain (Psycho-Coop-Oppo-Coop/Oppo) (PI = 1). Among other singularities, while two-step cluster analysis revealed a corresponding ethnomotor silhouette with cluster 1, with the warlike connotation (n = 48; 96.0%), its homologous structure was expressed (Cluster 2) in the absence of the warlike character (n = 26; 50%).

What Is the Relevance in the Passing Action between the Passer and the Receiver in Soccer? Study of Elite Soccer in La Liga

Soccer is a high-complexity sport in which 22 players interact simultaneously in a common space. The ball-holder interacts with their teammates by passing actions, establishing a unique communication among them in the development of the game in its offensive phase. The main aim of the present study was to analyze the pass action according to the trajectory of the ball receiver and the space for receiving the ball in terms of success at the end of play. Twenty La Liga 2018/2019 matches of two elite teams were analyzed. A system of notational analysis was used to create 11 categories based on context, timing and pass analysis. The data were analyzed using chi-squared analysis. The results showed that the main performance indicators were the efficiency of the pass, the zone of the field, the trajectory of the receiver and the reception space of the ball, which presented a moderate association with the end of play (p < 0.001). We concluded that receiving the ball on approach and in separation increased the probability of success by 5% and 7%, respectively, and a diagonal run increased the probability by 7%. Moreover, the combined analysis of these variables would improve the team performance.