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

Abstract

The current study determined the area-per-player during small-or large-sided games with or without goalkeeper that replicates the relative (m�min-1) total distance, high-intensity running distance, sprint distance and metabolic power covered during official matches. Time-motion analysis was performed on twenty-five elite soccer-players during 26 home-matches. A total of 2565 individual samples for SSGs using different pitch sizes and different number of players were collected and classified as SSGs with (SSG-G) or without goalkeeper (SSG-P). A between-position comparison was also performed. The area-per-player needed to replicate the official match demands was largely higher in SSG-G vs SSG-P for total distance [187±53 vs 115±35 m 2 , effect size (ES): 1.60 95%CI 0.94/2.21], high-intensity running distance [262±72 vs 166±39 m 2 , ES: 1.66(0.99/2.27)] and metabolic power [177±42 vs 94±40, ES: 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)] with direction of larger area-perplayer for sprint distance > high-intensity running > total distance metabolic power for both SSG-G and SSG-P. In SSG-G, forwards required higher area-per-player than central-defenders [ES: 2.96(1.07/4.35)], wide-midfielders [ES: 2.45(0.64/3.78)] and widedefenders [ES: 3.45(1.13/4.99)]. Central-midfielders required higher area-per-player than central-defenders [ES: 1.69(0.20/2.90)] and wide-midfielders [ES: 1.35(-0.13/ 2.57)]. In SSG-P, central defenders need lower area-per-player (ES:-6.01/-0.92) to overall replicate the match demands compared to all other positions. The current results may be used to gain knowledge of the SSGs relative to the match demands. This imply manipulating SSGs using higher or lower ApP, the presence of the goalkeeper or design specific rules to increase or decrease the position-specific demands with respect to the desired external load outcomes.

Influence of pitch size and goalkeepers on external and internal load during small-sided games in amateur soccer players

“…Rampinini et al [5] found an increase on both RPE and heart rate in the large than both medium and small pitches. Moreover, the increased external load in the large pitch showed by our results (i.e., TD: g = 1.59; MSD: g = 1.03; HSD: g = 2.27; VHSD: g = 1.38; average speed: g = 1.55; maximal speed: g = 1.18) confirmed those of previous studies [6,8,19,21]. For example, Casamichana et al [21] compared three pitches of different size, finding that external load metrics increased as the pitch size became wider, especially comparing large to small pitches.…”

“…The presence of two additional players (two goalkeepers) had probably a greater relative weight in the small pitch than in the large one. Similar results were found by Gaudino et al [8] and Riboli et al [6], however, a comparison can be flawed because in their study the use of several formats and rules may have influenced the effect of interaction between the presence of goalkeepers and the dimension of the pitch. On the contrary, Hulka et al [16] found that the distance covered was higher with goalkeepers than without in small pitch and no differences were found in medium and large pitches.…”

“…For example, Casamichana et al [21] compared three pitches of different size, finding that external load metrics increased as the pitch size became wider, especially comparing large to small pitches. Recently, Riboli et al [6] showed strong positive relationships between the area per player and several motion metrics (e.g., total distance and high-intensity distance) in smallsided games with several formats.…”

“…The training load stimuli provided by SSGs can be managed by modifying several variables such as pitch' size [5,6], number of players involved [5,7,8], rules [9], floater's use [10,11], duration and numbers of bouts [12,13] and the presence of goalkeepers [7,8,[14][15][16]. Even if the available evidence is scarce, the presence of goalkeepers and regular goals, compared to possession format and use of small goals, may be important not only to develop tactical and technical skills (i.e., kick), but also to increase the active participation of the goalkeeper when the team is in ball-possession [17].…”

“…Studies that evaluated the rate of perceived exertion (RPE), showed higher rating values when the area per player increased [5,16,21,22]. Furthermore, wider area per player seems to lead an increase in time-motion metrics (i.e., total distance covered, distance covered at high speed and accelerations) [6,8,19,21].…”