Influence of opposition team formation on physical and skill‐related performance in a professional soccer team

Abstract

This study examined the influence of opposition team formation on physical and skillrelated performance in a professional soccer team. Performance in forty-five French League 1 matches played over three competitive seasons (2007-08, 2008-09, and 2009-10) was analysed using multi-camera computerised tracking. Players (n=21) in the reference team (using a 4-3-3/4-5-1 formation) were analysed in matches against three opposition team formations: 4-4-2 (11 games), 4-3-3/4-5-1 (16 games) and 4-2-3-1 (18 games). Performance was compared for defending and midfield units as a whole and individually across four positions: fullbacks, central-defenders and central-and wide-midfielders. Collectively, players covered a greater total distance (p<0.05) and distance in low/moderate-intensity running (0-14.3km/h) (p<0.05) in matches against a 4-2-3-1 compared to a 4-4-2 formation. Distance covered in high-intensity (14.4-19.7km/h) and very high-intensity running (≥19.8km/h) was not affected by opposition formation. In contrast, players covered more distance in total high-intensity performance (≥14.4km/h) when the reference team was in possession against a 4-4-2 compared to a 4-2-3-1 formation (p<0.05) while more distance was run at these speeds when the reference team was out of possession against a 4-2-3-1 (p<0.01) and a 4-3-3 (p<0.05) compared to a 4-4-2 formation. Players ran less distance at low/moderate intensities in the second-versus firsthalf of matches against all three formations (p<0.01 to p<0.05) whereas total distance and high-intensity performance was unaffected. None of the measures of physical performance across the individual playing positions were affected by opposition team formation. Skillrelated performance varied according to opposition formation: players as a whole performed more passes versus a 4-4-2 than a 4-2-3-1 (p<0.01), ground and aerial duels versus a 4-2-3-1 compared to a 4-4-2 (both p<0.01); 1-touch passes versus a 4-2-3-1 compared to a 4-4-2 (p<0.01) and a 4-3-3/4-5-1 (p<0.05). The mean number of touches per possession was highest versus a 4-4-2 compared to a 4-3-3/4-5-1 (p<0.01) and a 4-2-3-1 (p<0.01). While skill-related performance across the four individual playing positions was generally unaffected by opposition team formation, mean pass length was greater in central-midfielders against a 4-4-2 compared to 4-3-3/4-5-1 (p<0.05) and 4-2-3-1 (p<0.01) formations. In general, these findings suggest that physical performance in the reference team was not greatly affected by opposition team formation. In contrast, skill-related demands varied substantially according to opponent formation and may have consequences for tactical and technical preparation and team selection policies.

Are Physical Performance and Injury Risk in a Professional Soccer Team in Match-Play Affected Over a Prolonged Period of Fixture Congestion?

“…Changes over the consecutive games in the reference team's choice of starting line-up and tactics and/or in the specific physical and skill demands, playing style and team formation imposed by 8 separate opponents [4,16,25] could explain these variations.…”

“…4 It has recently been suggested that professional soccer players regulate their physical efforts when participating in congested fixture periods [27]. While this selfimposition of efforts might partly explain the previously observed lack of a decline in physical performance during successive games with a short recovery period, no studies have verified this theory.…”

“…In addition, none of the previous aforementioned studies that examined the effects of fixture congestion on athletic performance have investigated the potential confounding effects of opponent performance. Athletic performance has been shown to be directly related to the physical activity completed by opponent teams [4,25]. An investigation into the physical demands imposed by separate opposition teams in multiple games over a tight timeframe and the capacity of a reference team to directly respond to these demands is therefore warranted.…”

Uso defensivo del espacio de interacción en fútbol. (Defensive use of the interaction space in soccer).

“…Actualmente, los investigadores utilizan esta tecnología, fundamentalmente para conocer el rendimiento físico (Castellano, Blanco-Villaseñor, y Álvarez, 2011;Di Salvo y col, 2007) o físico-técnico de los jugadores (Carling, 2011;Dellal, Wong, Moalla, y Chamari, 2010), aunque su aplicación en la identificación de indicadores tácticos de rendimiento (Lames y McGarry, 2007) es una realidad inminente (Sampaio y Maçãs, 2012). Con la implementación de esta tecnología al deporte, comienza a resultar no muy complicado disponer de las variables espacio-temporales que pueden ser relevantes para comprender la complejidad táctica del juego.…”

The wider context of performance analysis and it application in the football coaching process

“…From football evidence has also been provided by Egil Olsen (1997) on how PA impacted directly on the Norwegian national team's playing style (Olsen & Larsen, 1997, Pollard 2002, Weaver, 2007. More recently, much of the match analysis research conducted by Carling's research group has attempted to address key performance questions within the club in which the researcher works and as a result has had a direct impact on the club's approaches and practices Carling & Dupont, 2011;Carling & Bloomfield, 2010;Carling, 2011). However little is still known as to what information derived from PA coaches do and do not value, how the information collected is used to affect their decision making and subsequent planning of training, tactical strategies and approaches.…”