Validity and reliability of 6-a-side small-sided game locomotor performance in assessing physical fitness in football players

Abstract

In order to determine whether small-sided game (SSG) locomotor performance can serve as a fitness indicator, we (1) compared 6-a-side (6v6) SSG-intensity of players varying in fitness and skill, (2) Although total distance and metabolic power during 6v6-SSG showed good reproducibility (coefficient of variation (CV) <5%), CV was higher (8-14%) for all high-intensity time-motion variables. It was therefore concluded that standardised SSG locomotor performance can not serve be used as a valid and reliable fitness indicator for individual players.

Quantification of in-season training load relative to match load in professional Dutch Eredivisie football players

“…We acknowledge that care should be taken using both estimated energy expenditure as well as the (arbitrarily chosen) distance ran at high power (>20 W · kg −1 ) as measures for external load, especially when applied at an individual level (Stevens et al 2016). Currently, energy expenditure is underestimated, even when measured with a highly accurate LPM system, and most likely even more when using GPS (Stevens et al 2015).…”

The Yo-Yo Intermittent Tests: A Systematic Review and Structured Compendium of Test Results

“…For the YYIR1 test, the reported significant correlation with high-intensity running (>15 km·h −1 ) during a soccer match was r = 0.71 ( n = 18, elite soccer players) (Krustrup et al, 2003) and the correlation with high-intensity activity and total distance covered during a soccer match was r = 0.77 and r = 0.65, respectively ( n = 19, young soccer players, age ~14 years) (Castagna et al, 2009). For the YYIR2 test, the correlation with the time above 85% of HR max during a soccer match was r = 0.71 ( n = 18, young soccer players, age ~14 years), the correlation with high-speed running (>14.4 km·h −1 ) during small-sided game was r = 0.70 ( n = 113, soccer players, age range ~17–24 years) (Stevens et al, 2016), the correlation with load·min −1 during football matches was r = 0.77 ( n = 20, elite football players, age ~22 years) (Mooney et al, 2013b) and the correlation with high-speed running (>15 km·h −1 ) during football matches was r ≥ 0.62 ( n = 15, elite football players, age ~22 years) (Mooney et al, 2013a). For the YYIE2 test, the reported correlation with high-intensity running (≥19.8 km·h −1 ) during professional soccer matches was r = 0.54 ( n = 22, Premier League soccer players, age ~26 years) and r = 0.64 ( n = 21, Championship soccer players, age ~25 years) (Bradley et al, 2013).…”

Small sided games in soccer – a systematic review

“…However, other studies have analyzed the relationship between SSGs and official matches or compared the effect of SSG training with more traditional training methods (i.e., interval training without the ball). From the 31 articles included in this analysis, three of them compared SSGs with running-based activities (Dellal et al, 2008;Dellal, Varliette, Owen, Chirico, & Pialoux, 2012;, three compared SSGs and official 11 vs 11 matches (Casamichana, Castellano, & Castagna, 2012;Dellal, Owen, et al, 2012;Lacome, Simpson, Cholley, Lambert, & Buchheit, 2017), two compared male and female players (Jastrzębski, Radzimiński, & Stępień, 2016;Stevens, De Ruiter, Beek, & Savelsbergh, 2016) and one used SSGs to validate the total body load equation Table 3 here**** Different methods were utilized in studies conducted in senior players: (1) analysis of the physiological impact of SSGs using heart rate, blood lactate concentrations and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE); (2) the physical impact of SSGs measured by distance covered at different speeds, and the number of accelerations and decelerations; (3) the technical or tactical impact of SSGs measured by notational systems or tactical measures; and (4) studies that use more than one type of analysis to identify the effect of SSGs. The studies that only analyzed the physiological impact of SSGs were mainly focused on acute responses or in comparison to running-based activities (Dellal et al, 2008;Dellal, Varliette, et al, 2012;Little & Williams, 2007;Rampinini et al, 2007).…”