Influence of additional players on collective tactical behavior in small-sided soccer games

The aim of this study was to compare the collective tactical behavior between numerically balanced and unbalanced small-sided soccer games. Eighteen male soccer players (mean age 16.4 years) participated in the study. Polar coordinate analysis was performed using positional data obtained with a 15-Hz GPS device. Collective variables including length, width, centroid distance (average point between teammates), and length per width ratio (LPWratio) were collected. Data were analyzed using Friedman’s test. The results showed greater length and width values in 4vs.3 games, while a higher LPWratio was observed in 3vs.3+2 games compared to the other configurations. In games with an additional player (4vs.3), ball circulation and the increase in effective game space were alternatives to overcome the more concentrated defensive systems near the goal. On the other hand, 3vs.3+2 games allowed more actions in the length axis and a fast reach of the opponent’s goal.

[1]  B. Travassos,et al.  Spatiotemporal coordination behaviors in futsal (indoor football) are guided by informational game constraints. , 2012, Human movement science.

[2]  Keith Davids,et al.  Numerical Relations and Skill Level Constrain Co-Adaptive Behaviors of Agents in Sports Teams , 2014, PloS one.

[3]  Pablo Juan Greco,et al.  Artigo de Atualização/Divulgação Princípios Táticos do Jogo de Futebol: conceitos e aplicação , 2009 .

[4]  Hugo Folgado,et al.  Competing with Lower Level Opponents Decreases Intra-Team Movement Synchronization and Time-Motion Demands during Pre-Season Soccer Matches , 2014, PloS one.

[5]  Keith Davids,et al.  The influence of pitch dimensions on performance during small-sided and conditioned soccer games , 2014, Journal of sports sciences.

[6]  Jaime E Sampaio,et al.  Effects of pacing, status and unbalance in time motion variables, heart rate and tactical behaviour when playing 5-a-side football small-sided games. , 2014, Journal of science and medicine in sport.

[7]  Keith Davids,et al.  Coordination tendencies are shaped by attacker and defender interactions with the goal and the ball in futsal. , 2014, Human movement science.

[8]  J. Sampaio,et al.  Physiological Responses and Activity Profiles of Football Small-Sided Games , 2013, Journal of strength and conditioning research.

[9]  Keith Davids,et al.  Sports teams as superorganisms: implications of sociobiological models of behaviour for research and practice in team sports performance analysis. , 2012, Sports medicine.

[10]  F. Impellizzeri,et al.  Exercise Intensity and Technical Demands of Small-Sided Games in Young Brazilian Soccer Players: Effect of Number of Players, Maturation, and Reliability , 2011, Journal of strength and conditioning research.

[11]  V. Di Salvo,et al.  Performance Characteristics According to Playing Position in Elite Soccer , 2006, International journal of sports medicine.

[12]  Wouter Frencken,et al.  Size matters: Pitch dimensions constrain interactive team behaviour in soccer , 2013, J. Syst. Sci. Complex..

[13]  Bruno Travassos,et al.  Tactical performance changes with equal vs unequal numbers of players in small-sided football games , 2014 .

[14]  Aaron J Coutts,et al.  Time-Motion Characteristics and Physiological Responses of Small-Sided Games in Elite Youth Players: The Influence of Player Number and Rule Changes , 2010, Journal of strength and conditioning research.

[15]  Del P Wong,et al.  Heart Rate Responses and Technical Comparison Between Small- vs. Large-Sided Games in Elite Professional Soccer , 2011, Journal of strength and conditioning research.

[16]  Evangelos Bekris,et al.  The Physiological and Technical-Tactical Effects of an Additional Soccer Player’s Participation in Small Sided Games Training , 2012 .

[17]  Del P. Wong,et al.  Influence of technical instructions on the physiological and physical demands of small-sided soccer games , 2011 .

[18]  Pablo Juan Greco,et al.  Validação de conteúdo de ações tático-técnicas do Teste de Conhecimento Tático Processual - Orientação Esportiva Content validation of tactical-technical actions of the Tactical Procedure Knowledge Test - Sporting Orientation , 2014 .

[19]  Cristina Fonseca,et al.  Capturing complex human behaviors in representative sports contexts with a single camera. , 2010, Medicina.

[20]  Victor M Maçãs,et al.  Effects of the Number of Players and Game Type Constraints on Heart Rate, Rating of Perceived Exertion, and Technical Actions of Small-Sided Soccer Games , 2012, Journal of strength and conditioning research.

[21]  M. Brandes,et al.  Physical Responses of Different Small-Sided Game Formats in Elite Youth Soccer Players , 2012, Journal of strength and conditioning research.

[22]  Wouter Frencken,et al.  Length, width and centroid distance as measures of teams tactical performance in youth football , 2014, European journal of sport science.

[23]  D. Casamichana,et al.  Utilización de la limitación de contactos en el entrenamiento en fútbol: ¿afecta a las demandas físicas y fisiológicas? [Use of limiting the number of touches of the ball in soccer training: Does it affect the physical and physiological demands?]. , 2013 .

[24]  Gibson Moreira Praça,et al.  Numerical superiority changes the physical demands of soccer players during small- sided games Superioridade numérica altera a demanda física de jogadores de Futebol durante Pequenos Jogos , 2015 .