The Role of Situational Variables in Analysing Physical Performance in Soccer

• Authors: Carlos Lago-Peñas
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

Performance analysis in sport is used to investigate the performance of teams and players across differentsports. Research within this area, especially when focussing on the determinants of success, has grown rapidly in thelast few years. During this time, the role of a new concept, ‘situational variables’ has emerged. This term includes thedifferent game and situational conditions that may influence performance at a behavioural level. Given that soccer isdominated by strategic factors, it is reasonable to suggest that situational variables of match status (i.e. whether theteam is winning, losing or drawing), quality of opposition (strong or weak), and match location (i.e. playing at home oraway) may somehow influence the teams´ and players´ activities. These situational variables need to be analyzed indepth to understand their influence in team sports. The aim of this article was to examine the independent andinteractive effects of situational variables on physical performance in elite soccer. The view that professional soccerplayers regulate their physical efforts according to the specific demands of individual matches and periods of the game isoffered. In support of this argument results from recent studies are presented. Implications of this perspective for matchanalyst and coaches for evaluating performance are also considered.

Keywords

EN

fatigue; soccer; physical performance; situational variables.

• Publisher: De Gruyter Open
• Journal: Journal of Human Kinetics
• Year: 2012
• Volume: 35
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 89-95

Dates

published

1 - 12 - 2012

online

26 - 01 - 2013

Contributors

author

Carlos Lago-Peñas

• Faculty of Education and Sports Sciences, University of Vigo, Av. Buenos Aires, Pontevedra, Spain.

References

• Ascensão A, Rebelo A, Oliveira E, Marques F, Pereira L, Magalhaes J. Biochemical impact of a soccer matchanalysis of oxidative stress and muscle damage markers throughout recovery. Clin Biom, 2008; 41: 841-851
• Bandura A. Social learning theory Englewood, Cliffs NJ: Prentice Hall; 2005
• Bangsbo J. The physiology of soccer: With special reference to intense intermittent exercise. Acta Physiol Scand, 1994; 619: 151
• Barros RML, Misuta MS, Menezes RP, Figueroa P, Moura F, Cunha S, Anido R, Leite N. Analysis of the distances covered by first division Brazilian soccer players obtained with an automatic tracking method. J Sports Sci Med, 2007; 6: 233-242
• Bloomfield JR, Polman, RCJ, O’Donoghue PG. Effects of score-line on intensity of play in midfield and forward players in the FA Premier League. J Sports Sci, 2005. 23: 191-192
• Bradley PS, Sheldon W, Wooster B, Olsen P, Boanas P, Krustup P. High-intensity running in English FA Premier League soccer matches. J Sports Sci, 2009; 27: 159-168[WoS][Crossref]
• Bradley PS, Di Mascio M, Peart D, Olsen P, Sheldon B. High-intensity profiles of elite soccer players at different performance levels. J Strength Cond Res, 2010; 24: 2343-2351[Crossref][WoS][PubMed]
• Brown T, Van Raalte J, Brewer B, Winter CR, Conrnelius A, Andersen M. World Cup soccer home advantage. J Sport Behav, 2002; 25: 134-144
• Carling C. Analysis of physical activity profiles when running with the ball in a professional soccer team. J Sports Sci, 2010; 28: 319-326[Crossref]
• Carling C, Bloomfield J, Nelsen L, Reilly T. The role of motion analysis in elite soccer. Sports Med, 2008; 38: 839-862[Crossref][PubMed]
• Carling C, Le Gall F, Dupont G. Are physical performance and injury risk in a professional soccer team in match-play affected over a prolonged period of fixture congestion? Int J Sports Med, 2012; 33: 36-42[WoS]
• Carling C, Williams AM, Reilly T. Handbook of soccer match analysis: A systematic approach to improving performance. Abingdon, UK: Routledge; 2005
• Castellano J, Blanco-Villaseñor A, Alvarez D. Contextual variables and time-motion analysis in soccer. Int J Sport Med, 2011; 32: 415-421[Crossref][WoS]
• Clarke S, Norman J. Home ground advantage of individual clubs in English soccer. Statistician, 1995; 44: 509-521[Crossref]
• Di Salvo V, Baron R, Tschan H, Calderon F, Bachl N, Pigozzi F. Performance characteristics according to playing position in elite soccer. Int J Sports Med, 2007; 28: 222-227[Crossref][PubMed]
• Dupont G, Nedelec M, McCall A, McCormack M, Berthoin S. Effect of 2 soccer matches in a week on physical performance and injury rate. Am J Sports Med, 2010; 38: 1752-1758[Crossref]
• Ispirlidis I, Fatouros IG, Jamurtas AZ, Nikolaidis M, Michailidis I, Douroudous I, Margonis K, Kalistratos E, Alexiou V, Taxildanis K. Time-course of changes in inflammatory and performance responses following a soccer game. Clin J Sport Med, 2008; 18: 423-431[PubMed][Crossref]
• James N, Mellalieu SD, Holley C. Analysis of strategies in soccer as a function of European and domestic competition. Int J Per An Sport, 2002; 2: 85-103
• Jones P, James N, Mellalieu SD Possession as a Performance Indicator in Soccer. Int J Per An Sport, 2004; 4: 98-102
• Kormelink H, Seeverens T. Match analysis and game preparation. Spring City: PA Reedswain; 1999
• Lago C. The influence of match location, quality of opposition, and match status on possession strategies in professional association football. J Sports Sci, 2009; 27: 1463-1469[WoS][Crossref]
• Lago C, Casais L, Dominguez E, Sampaio J. The effects of situational variables on distance covered at various speeds. Eur J Sports Sci, 2010; 10: 103-109[Crossref]
• Lago C, Martin R. Determinants of possession of the ball in soccer. J Sports Sci, 2007. 25: 969-974[WoS][Crossref]
• Lago-Peñas C, Rey E, Lago-Ballesteros J, Casais L, Dominguez E. Analysis of work-rate in soccer according to playing positions. Int J Perf Anal Sport, 2010; 9: 218-227
• Lago-Peñas C, Rey E, Lago-Ballesteros J, Casais L, Dominguez E. The influence of a congested calendar on physical performance in elite soccer. J Strength Con Res, 2010; 25: 2111-2117
• McGarry T, Franks I. The science of match analysis. In Science and Soccer. Eds: Reilly T, Clarys J, Stibbe A. London: Routledge, 265-275; 2003
• Mohr M, Krustrup P, Bangsbo J. Match performance of high-standard soccer players with special reference to development of fatigue. J Sports Sci, 2003; 21: 519-528[Crossref]
• Mohr M, Krustrup P, Bangsbo J. Fatigue in soccer: a brief review. J Sports Sci, 2005; 23: 593-599[Crossref]
• Nevill A, Holder R. Home advantage in sport: an overview of studies on the advantage of playing at home. Sports Med, 1999; 28: 221-236[Crossref][PubMed]
• Odetoyinbo K, Wooster B, Lane A. The effect of a succession of matches on the activity profiles of professional soccer players. In: T Reilly, F Korkusuz (eds.) Science and Football VI Routledge, UK, 105-110; 2009
• O’Donoghue P, Tenga A. The effect of score-line on work rate in elite soccer. J Sports Sci, 2001; 19: 25-26
• Pollard R. Home advantage in football. A current review of an unsolved puzzle. Open Sports Sci J, 2008; 1: 12-14[Crossref]
• Rampinin, E, Coutts AJ, Castagna C, Sassi R, Impellizeri F. Variation in top level soccer match performance. Int J Sports Med, 2007; 28: 1018-1024[Crossref]
• Rampinini E, Impellizzeri FM, Castagna C, Coutss AJ, Wisloff U. Technical performance during soccer matches of the Italian Serie A league: Effect of fatigue and competitive level. J Sci Med Sports, 2009; 12: 227-233[Crossref][WoS]
• Reed D, O’Donoghue P. Development and application of computer-based prediction methods. Int J Perf Anal Sports, 2005; 5: 12-28
• Rey E, Lago-Peñas C, Lago-Ballesteros J, Casais L. Dellal A. The effects of a congested fixture period on the activity of elite soccer players. Biol Sport, 2010; 27: 181-185
• Sasaki Y, Nevill A, Reilly T. Home advantage: A case study of Ipswich Town Football Club during the 1996-1997 season. J Sports Sci, 1999; 17: 831
• Shaw J, O´Donoghue P. The effect of score-line on work rate in amateur soccer. In: O´Donoghue P, Hughes, MD, editors. Notational analysis of sport VI. Cardiff: UWIC, 84-91; 2004
• Taylor JB, Mellalieu SD, James N, Shearer D. The influence of match location, qualify of opposition and match status on technical performance in professional association football. J Sports Sci, 2008; 26: 885-895.[Crossref][WoS]
• Tucker W, Mellalieu SD, James N, Taylor JB. Game location effects in professional soccer A case study. Int J Perform An Sport, 2005; 5: 23-35
• Zubillaga A, Gorospe G, Mendo AH, Blanco-Villaseñor A. Match analysis of 2005-2006 Champions League final with Amisco System. J Sports Sci Med, 2007; 6: 10-20

Identifiers

DOI

10.2478/v10078-012-0082-9