Production and Efficiency in Association Football

Abstract

Despite their proliferation, sporting production function studies remain almost entirely U.S.-based, concentrating largely (although not exclusively) on baseball. Mainly due to a dearth of match-play statistics, there have been few studies of other, more interactive sports. This study attempts to partly fill the gap by using a new data source containing information on specific match-play variables to estimate a season-based production function for English Premiership association football teams. On the basis of computed residuals, the authors also identify those teams shown to be relatively efficient and inefficient in various aspects of match plays.

Longitudinal match performance characteristics of UK and non-UK players in the English Premier League

“…The research results suggest that the English Premier League (EPL) is one of the most physically intense Leagues in Europe (Bradley et al, 2009;Dellal et al, 2011;Di Salvo et al, 2009). Despite the physicality of modern match-play, players are still expected to be proficient in an array of technical skills and have exceptional tactical awareness in order to be successful, which is more closely related with game outcome (Barnes, Archer, Hogg, Bush, & Bradley, 2014;Bradley et al, 2013;Carmichael, Thomas, & Ward, 2001;Dellal et al, 2011;Lago & Martin, 2007;Rampinini, Impellizzeri, Castagna, Coutts, & Wisløff, 2009). Thus, given the multifaceted nature of the game it is imperative that more research analyses both physical and technical match performance parameters in order to fully appreciate the complexities of the modern game and its determinants.…”

The effect of high and low percentage ball possession on physical and technical profiles in English FA Premier League soccer matches

“…This approach fails to account for the complex and dynamic nature of soccer in which physical and technical indicators interact (McGarry & Franks, 2003;Reed & O'Donoghue, 2005), thus more studies are needed that utilise such a mixed approach. The most popular technical indicator in soccer is ball possession due to its strong association with success (Bate, 1988;Carmichael, Thomas, & Ward, 2001;Dawson, Dobson, & Gerrard, 2000;Garganta, 2000;Gomez & Alvaro, 2002;Hadley, Poitras, Ruggiero, & Knowles, 2000;Hughes & Bartlett, 2002;James, Jones, & Mellalieu, 2004;Lago & Dellal, 2010;Lago & Martin, 2007;McGarry & Franks, 2003) but this relationship is highly complex with the efficiency of passing (e.g. higher passes to shots on goal ratio) and the type of offensive strategy (e.g.…”

“…Given the strong association between ball possession and success (Bate, 1988;Carmichael et al, 2001;Dawson et al, 2000;Garganta, 2000;Gomez & Alvaro, 2002;Hadley et al, 2000;Hughes & Bartlett, 2002;James et al, 2004;Lago & Martin, 2007;McGarry & Franks, 2003), we expected HPBPT to be technically superior to LPBPT. Our data supports this notion as players in HPBPT performed 44% more passes than those in LPBPT and this trend was also evident for successful passes, received passes, touches per possession, shots, dribbles, tackled events, and final-third entries.…”

Analysing the technical efficiency of the Spanish Football League First Division with a random frontier model

“…Two traditions are observed, the DEA -data envelopment analysis, which has been applied by Haas, 2003A, 2004B, Barros and Santos 2005; Espitia-Escuer and García-Cebrian, 2004;D'Itry, 1996,1997;and Porter and Scully (1982) and the stochastic frontier models, which have been applied by Barros andLeach, 2006B, 2006C;Kahane, 2005;Gerrard (2005); Hoeffler and Payne, 1997;Dawson, Dobson and Gerrard, 2000;Carmichael, Thomas and Ward, 2001;Scully, 1994;and Zak, Huang and Siegfried (1979). The aim of this research is to combine sports and financial variables in the evaluation of the clubs' efficiency.…”