Abstract

ABSTRACT Purpose: The aim of this study was to analyze the evolution of the four most important leagues and to identify if there are differences between the English Premier League and the rest of the European leagues. Methods: Each team was characterized according to a set of 52 variables including offensive, defensive, and buildup 10 variables that were computed from OPTA’s on-ball event records of the matches for main national leagues between the 2014 and 2018 seasons. To test the evolution of leagues, the t-SNE dimensionality reduction technique was used. To better understand the differences between leagues and teams, the most discriminating variables were obtained as a set of rules discovered by RIPPER, a machine learning algorithm. Results: The evolution of playing styles has meant that teams in the major European leagues seem to 15 be approaching homogeneity of technical-tactical behavior. Despite this, a distinction can be seen between the English teams concerning the rest of the teams in the other leagues, determined by fewer free kicks, fewer long passes but more vertical, more errors in ball control but greater success in dribbling. Conclusions: These results provide important knowledge and practical applications because of the study of the different variables and performance indicators among the best football championships

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.