Physical Match Performance in Sub-elite Soccer Players – Introduction of a new Index

Abstract

This investigation examined the position-specific physical performance in different locomotor categories and physiological demands concurrently in official games of sub-elite players and to present a new performance index (PI). Time-motion (distance, velocity, acceleration) and heart rate data of 55 soccer players were simultaneously captured via a GPS tracking system. The relationship between external and internal match-load (PI) was determined on the basis of heart rate, average velocity and acceleration. In contrast to the mean heart rate (85.2±3.2%, P=0.806, η_p²=0.03), the average total distance covered (9946±715 m) was largely affected by players’ position (P<0.001, η_p²=0.63). Furthermore, a mixed design ANOVA showed a large interaction effect between position and locomotor category (P<0.001, η_p²=0.44). On average, PI was 1.57±0.37 m/min²/%, with notably lower values in the 2^nd half. The position-specific profiles already reported for higher leagues were also present in sub-elite soccer players. Despite lower values for total distance and smaller distances in the high-intensity zones (>14.4 km/h), internal loads were comparable to those observed in European top leagues. In comparison to a performance measure that ignores accelerations, PI was shown to be less dependent on the playing position and had higher variability. Consequently, PI is better suited to distinguish between players’ performance.

Key word:

global positioning system - performance analysis - team sports - monitoring - wearable sensor

Publication History

Received: 27 August 2019

Accepted: 07 April 2020

Article published online:
06 July 2020

• References

• 1 Di Salvo V, Pigozzi F, González-Haro C. et al. Match performance comparison in top English soccer leagues. Int J Sports Med 2013; 34: 526-532
• 2 Rampinini E, Bishop D, Marcora SM. et al. Validity of simple field tests as indicators of match-related physical performance in top-level professional soccer players. Int J Sports Med 2007; 28: 228-235
• 3 Vigne G, Gaudino C, Rogowski I. et al. Activity profile in elite Italian soccer team. Int J Sports Med 2010; 31: 304-310
• 4 Bradley PS, Noakes TD. Match running performance fluctuations in elite soccer: indicative of fatigue, pacing or situational influences?. J Sports Sci 2013; 31: 1627-1638
• 5 Bradley PS, Carling C, Gomez Diaz A. et al. Match performance and physical capacity of players in the top three competitive standards of English professional soccer. Hum Mov Sci 2013; 32: 808-821
• 6 Castellano J, Casamichana D. What are the differences between first and second divisions of Spanish football teams?. Int J Perform Anal Sport 2015; 15: 135-146
• 7 Carling C, Bradley PS, McCall A. et al. Match-to-match variability in high-speed running activity in a professional soccer team. J Sports Sci 2016; 34: 2215-2223
• 8 Di Salvo V, Gregson W, Atkinson G. et al. Analysis of high intensity activity in Premier League soccer. Int J Sports Med 2009; 30: 205-212
• 9 Gregson W, Drust B, Atkinson G. et al. Match-to-match variability of high-speed activities in Premier League soccer. Int J Sports Med 2010; 31: 237-242
• 10 Bradley PS, Archer DT, Hogg B. et al. Tier-specific evolution of match performance characteristics in the English Premier League: it’s getting tougher at the top. J Sports Sci 2016; 34: 980-987
• 11 Hoppe MW, Slomka M, Baumgart C. et al. Match running performance and success across a season in German Bundesliga soccer teams. Int J Sports Med 2015; 36: 563-566
• 12 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
• 13 Barnes C, Archer DT, Hogg B. et al. The evolution of physical and technical performance prameters in the English Premier League. Int J Sports Med 2014; 35: 1095-1100
• 14 Bush M, Barnes C, Archer DT. et al. Evolution of match performance parameters for various playing positions in the English Premier League. Hum Mov Sci 2015; 39: 1-11
• 15 Lee M, Mukherjee S. Relationship of training load with high-intensity running in professional soccer players. Int J Sports Med 2019; 40: 336-343
• 16 Alexandre D, da Silva CD, Hill-Haas S. et al. Heart rate monitoring in soccer: interest and limits during competitive match play and training, practical application. J Strength Cond Res 2012; 26: 2890-2906
• 17 Mallo J, Mena E, Nevado F. et al. Physical demands of top-class soccer friendly matches in relation to a playing position using global positioning system technology. J Hum Kinet 2015; 47: 179-188
• 18 Suarez-Arrones L, Torreno N, Requena B. et al. Match-play activity profile in professional soccer players during official games and the relationship between external and internal load. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 2015; 55: 1417-1422
• 19 Torreno N, Munguia-Izquierdo D, Coutts A. et al. Relationship between external and internal loads of professional soccer players during full Matches in official games using global positioning systems and heart-rate technology. Int J Sports Physiol Perform 2016; 11: 940-946
• 20 Bangsbo J. The physiology of soccer with special reference to intense intermittent exercise. Acta Physiol Scand Suppl 1994; 619: 1-155
• 21 Osgnach C, Poser S, Bernardini R. et al. Energy cost and metabolic power in elite soccer: A new match analysis approach. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2010; 42: 170-178
• 22 Sæterbakken A, Haug V, Fransson D. et al. Match running performance on three different competitive standards in Norwegian soccer. Sports Med Int Open 2019; 3: E82-E88
• 23 Dalen T, Lorås H, Hjelde GH. et al. Accelerations – a new approach to quantify physical performance decline in male elite soccer?. Eur J Sport Sci 2019; 19: 1015-1023
• 24 Gray AJ, Jenkins D, Andrews MH. et al. Validity and reliability of GPS for measuring distance travelled in field-based team sports. J Sports Sci 2010; 28: 1319-1325
• 25 Hoppe MW, Baumgart C, Polglaze T. et al. Validity and reliability of GPS and LPS for measuring distances covered and sprint mechanical properties in team sports. PLoS One 2018; 13: e0192708
• 26 Varley MC, Fairweather IH, Aughey RJ. Validity and reliability of GPS for measuring instantaneous velocity during acceleration, deceleration, and constant motion. J Sports Sci 2012; 30: 121-127
• 27 Reinhardt L, Schwesig R, Lauenroth A. et al. Enhanced sprint performance analysis in soccer: New insights from a GPS-based tracking system. PLoS One 2019; 14: e0217782
• 28 Scott MTU, Scott TJ, Kelly VG. The validity and reliability of global positioning systems in team sport: a brief review. J Strength Cond Res 2016; 30: 1470-1490 doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000001221
• 29 Harriss DJ, MacSween A, Atkinson G. Standards in sport and exercise science research: 2020 update. Int J Sports Med 2019; 40: 813-817
• 30 Akenhead R, Hayes PR, Thompson KG. et al. Diminutions of acceleration and deceleration output during professional football match play. J Sci Med Sport 2013; 16: 556-561
• 31 Leigh JH, Kinnear TC. On interaction classification. Educ Psychol Meas 1980; 40: 841-843
• 32 Cohen J. Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences. Hillsdale: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates; 1988
• 33 Di Salvo V, Baron R, Tschan H. et al. Performance characteristics according to playing position in elite soccer. Int J Sports Med 2007; 28: 222-227
• 34 Altmann S, Kuberczyk M, Ringhof S. et al. Relationships between performance test and match-related physical performance parameters. Ger J Exerc Sport Res 2018; 48: 218-227
• 35 Di Salvo V, Baron R, Gonzalez-Haro C. et al. Sprinting analysis of elite soccer players during European Champions League and UEFA Cup matches. J Sports Sci 2010; 28: 1489-1494
• 36 Linke D, Lames M. Impact of sensor/reference position on player tracking variables: Center of scapulae vs center of pelvis. J Biomech 2019; 83: 319-323
• 37 Lockie RG, Murphy AJ, Knight TJ. et al. Factors that differentiate acceleration ability in field sport athletes. J Strength Cond Res 2011; 25: 2704-2714
• 38 Russell M, Sparkes W, Northeast J. et al. Changes in acceleration and deceleration capacity throughout professional soccer match-play. J Strength Cond Res 2016; 30: 2839-2844
• 39 Vigh-Larsen JF, Dalgas U, Andersen TB. Position-specific acceleration and deceleration profiles in elite youth and senior soccer players. J Strength Cond Res 2018; 32: 1114-1122