Area per player in small-sided games to replicate the external load and estimated physiological match demands in elite soccer players

Abstract

25The current study determined the area-per-player during small-or large-sided games with or 26 without goalkeeper that replicates the relative (mmin -1 ) total distance, high-intensity running 27 distance, sprint distance and metabolic power covered during official matches. Time-motion 28 analysis was performed on twenty-five élite soccer-players during 26 home-matches. A total 29 of 2565 individual samples for SSGs using different pitch sizes and different number of players 30 were collected and classified as SSGs with (SSG-G) or without goalkeeper (SSG-P). A 31 between-position comparison was also performed. The area-per-player needed to replicate the 32 official match demands was largely greater in SSG-G vs SSG-P for total distance [187±53 vs 33 115±35 m 2 , effect size (ES): 1.60 95%CI 0.94/2.21], high-intensity running distance [262±72 34 vs 166±39 m 2 , ES: 1.66(0.99/2.27)] and metabolic power [17742 vs 9440, ES: 35 1.99(1.31/2.67)], but similar for sprint distance [(316±75 vs 295±99 m 2 , ES: 0.24(-0.32/0.79)] 36 with direction of larger area-per-player for sprint distance > high-intensity running > total 37 distance  metabolic power for both SSG-G and SSG-P. In SSG-G, forwards required greater 38 area-per-player than central-defenders [ES: 2.96(1.07/4.35)], wide-midfielders [ES: 39 2.45(0.64/3.78)] and wide-defenders [ES: 3.45(1.13/4.99)]. Central-midfielders required 40 greater area-per-player than central-defenders [ES: 1.69(0.20/2.90)] and wide-midfielders [ES:41 1.35(-0.13/2.57)]. In SSG-P, central defenders need smaller area-per-player (ES: -6.01/-0.92) 42 to overall replicate the match demands compared to all other positions. The current results 43 highlight that soccer players need a specific area-per-player during the small-side games with 44 or without goalkeeper to replicate the overall match demands, especially to perform high-45 intensity running or sprint distance. Additionally, central defenders, central midfielders and 46 forwards need to be trained with tailored area-per-player or specific rules/additional exercises. 47 50 Small-or large-sided games are frequently used to replicate the soccer-specific match demands 51 in terms of technical proficiency, tactical awareness, speed, acceleration/deceleration, and 52 endurance performance [1]. To track these demands, recent tracking technologies such as 53 global positioning systems (GPS) or semi-automatic video-based multi-camera image systems 54 (MCIS), are usually used [2]. In small-sided games (SSGs), the manipulation of pitch size, 55 number of players per team, goalkeeper presence and technical rules modulate the soccer-56specific demands depending on the aims of each practice session [1, 3]. Increments in pitch 57 size or reduction in the number of players increases total distance (TD) covered, total high-58 intensity running distance (HIRD) and total sprint distance (TSD) [4, 5]. Conversely, when 59 pitch size is reduced or the number of players is increased, players get more ball touches but 60 they have not the space to rea...

Effect of formation, ball in play and ball possession on peak demands in elite soccer

“…For example, the values recorded during BiP, both with and without ball possession, could be used as a reference for soccerspecific drills as small-sided games. In this case, manipulating the pitch size, goalkeeper presence and number of players can overload or underload the locomotor demands [ 4 ]. Similarly, some positions (forwards, central defenders, etc.)…”

“…In practice, the activities recorded during the matches are used to plan the training workload and as a reference for soccerspecific drills (e.g. small-sided games or technical drills) [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]. The running performance analysis allows quantification of the total distance (TD), the distance covered at different running speed [ 5 ] and the distance covered while accelerating/decelerating (Acc/Dec) [ 6 ].…”