Pressure in Elite Youth Soccer Competition in Germany and China

Abstract

Pressure is the sharpest weapon in modern football games, including individual defensive tactics, group defensive tactics, and team defensive tactics. European football has always been the highest standard in the world of football, and it provides a broad window to study and analyze the characteristics and development trends of world-class football tactics. In the European arena, each team has its own offensive and defensive playing styles and tactical means. A serious study of the different tactical performance characteristics in the elite competition level in Europe (or South America) will not only help reflect the development of modern football and the latest tactical performance characteristics, but also help to improve football performances in lower level countries. Therefore, the aim of this study is to summarize the predominant characteristics of the mainstream offensive tactics in German elite youth soccer in the Under-17 age group, analyze the common similarities and differences when compared to Chinese elite youth soccer, and provide some active enlightenment and theoretical support for the improvement of football skills and tactics and the development of training in both countries. The small-sided game (SSG) formats 3v3 and 4v4 are the most reflected sub-units of the soccer team's organization. The more complex offensive and defensive organizational patterns of teamwork are based on and composed by 4v4-elements. Furthermore, the SSG format 4v4 serves as the basic training form in modern soccer education and training. This study is based on quantitative game observation by means of kinematics videography, and descriptive and analytical statistical analyses. The empirical part focusses on the video analysis of selected U17 competition games of the German Bundesliga-clubs SG 1899 Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig, as well as on the Chinese first-league team FC Beijing Guoan. In all games, the analysis focused on the comprehensive systematic statistical parameters of the 3v3- and 4v4-use situation. The following aims shall be focused on throughout the research: 1. Comparison of 3v3 and 4v4 pressure levels and intermediate and final match results. 2. Comparison of 3v3 and 4v4 pressure levels and match durations. 3. Comparison of 3v3 and 4v4 pressure levels in German and Chinese elite U17 soccer. 4. At the moment of the ball release, the average pressure on the player at the moment of receiving the ball is lower than the pressure on the same player at the moment of the release of the ball. 5. Inside the 30-meter-zone in front of the goal, pressure is higher than in the midfield zone. 6. The pressure is higher in forced release errors than in successful release situations. 7. When the offensive 3v3 and 4v4 area is larger, the result of the game will be better and this offensive behavior is associated with a positive effect. In the second half of the match, the area of the 3v3 and 4v4 configurations in team offense, as well as the total area of the six and eight resp. athletes of both teams increased compared to the first…