Development of Defensive Actions in Small-Sided and Conditioned Games With Offensive Purposes in Futsal

Developing the Physical Performance in Youth Soccer: Short-Term Effect of Dynamic-Ecological versus Traditional Training Approach for Sub-Elite U13 Players-An Ecological Exploratory Cluster Randomised Trial

Currently, research in youth soccer consists of methodological choices that can raise activity volumes and exercise intensity to promote proper training for youth soccer demands. Therefore, the present cluster randomised trial aims to evaluate the effects of the dynamic-ecological approach on the physical performance parameters compared with a traditional one in a group of sub-elite U13 players. Thirty-five male children (age 12.16 ± 0.55 years; weight 45.59 ± 7.15 kg; height 145.5 ± 4.2 cm; BMI 15.8 ± 2.1 kg·m-2) were recruited for this trial from two teams belonging to sub-elite soccer schools and randomly assigned to a dynamic-ecological approach (DEA) or a traditional training (TTG) group. The training program lasted six weeks and consisted of 18 training sessions of 90 min each (3 sessions per week). The sample was evaluated by the standing long jump (SLJ), hop test (HT), 10 m sprint (10 m), 10 × 5 m shuttle run test (SRT), and leg raise test (LR). The DEA group showed significantly higher results in the SLJ (p < 0.001), HT left leg (p < 0.001), 10 m sprint (p < 0.001), and SRT (p < 0.001). In conclusion, the dynamic-ecological approach provides higher performance adaptations. Therefore, this approach can be considered a suitable method to optimise pre-pubertal player training, mainly when no fitness or strength coach is available.

Association of self-efficacy and mental toughness with sport performance in Brazilian futsal athletes

Introduction

Self-efficacy is considered a component of mental toughness, but there are few studies investigating the relationship of sport self-efficacy with mental toughness in performance athletes, especially in team sports.

Objective

The objective was to examine the impact of sport self-efficacy mediated by mental toughness on the sport performance of Brazilian futsal athletes.

Methods

The sample was composed of five adult male teams participating in the National Futsal League 2020, totaling 77 athletes. As instruments, we used: athlete identification sheet, Perceived Self-Efficacy Scale in Sports (PSES), Mental Toughness Index (MTI) questionnaire and the performance data from the National Futsal League 2020 (NFL). The data were analyzed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Mann-Whitney "U" test, Spearman's correlation, network analysis (LASSO), with the indicators of centrality: strength, proximity and degree of intermediation (p < 0.05).

Results

The results showed that the investigated sample presented high levels of Perceived Self-Efficacy Scale in Sports (PSES) (Md = 4.66) and mental toughness (MT) (Md = 6.44). PSES presented a positive relationship with the number of wins, and negative relationships with the number of red cards and wrong passes (r = -0.08). MT indirectly influenced these variables through its connection with PSES (r = 0.30). The best ranked teams presented higher amounts of goals for, fouls, shots on goal, tackles, assists, and wins. The time of practice revealed an inverse relationship with the number of defeats, while age was positively related to the number of wrong passes (r = 0.09). The centrality indicators showed that the number of games stood out as the most central variable in the network, due to its degree of strength, proximity and intermediation. Moreover, the high degree of proximity and intermediation of the tackles made presented a connection with the number of assists (γ = 0.25; n = 77).

Conclusion

We can conclude that sport self-efficacy and mental toughness are intervening factors in the sport performance of Brazilian futsal athletes.

T-Pattern Detection and Analysis of Football Players' Tactical and Technical Defensive Behaviour Interactions: Insights for Training and Coaching Team Coordination

This article aims to study the coordination of the defenders’ tactical and technical behaviour of successful teams to recover the ball according to contextual variables. A total of 15,369 (480.28 ± 112.37) events and 49 to 12,398 different patterns in 32 games of the 2014 FIFA World Cup’s play-offs were detected and analysed. Results evidenced a T-pattern of the first defender pressuring the ball carrier and his teammates concentrating at the same zone to cover him or space, leading to ball recovery. Field zones, first defender tactical and technical behaviours, and ball carrier first touch constituted opportunities for defenders to coordinate themselves. Moreover, the third defender had a predominant role in his teammates’ temporisation and covering zone behaviours. In the draw, first half, second-tier quality of opponent and play-offs excluding third place and final matches, the ball regularly shifted from upper to lower field zones in short periods, resulting in ball recovery or shot on goal conceded. Defenders performed behaviours farther from the ball carrier, and player-marking were most recurrent to an effective defence. This study’s findings could help coaches give specific tips to players regarding interpersonal coordination in defence and set strategies to make tactical behaviour emerge globally.

How Informational Constraints for Decision-Making on Passing, Dribbling and Shooting Change With the Manipulation of Small-Sided Games Changes in Futsal

In this study, we explored how manipulating floaters' positions in small-sided futsal games (SSGs) promote changes in the informational constraints that support decision-making (DM) for passing, dribbling and shooting tactics. We made changes in four experimental 3 vs 3 small-sided game conditions with 30 male futsal players (U19 age category): (a) Floaters Off (FO), (b) Final Line Floaters (FLF), (c) Lateral Floaters own field sideline (LFofsl) and (d) Lateral Floaters full field sideline (LFffsl). We assessed players' activity with WIMU PRO™ software during the SSGs, using the Game Performance Evaluation Tool (GPET) to analyze a total of 1,635 decisions. DM for dribbling was generally based on the interpersonal distance between the ball carrier and direct opponent, considering the defensive team length and the offensive team area. Shooting decisions were constrained, by certain attacking-defending teams' spatial-temporal relations with regard to playing space and team balance as affected by manipulating floaters' positions. The coaches' decisions to change the floaters' positions during SSGs may change informational variables sustaining the dribbling decision, but no changes in SSG variables affected passing DM.