Regularity of interpersonal positioning discriminates short and long sequences of play in small-sided soccer games

Abstract

ABSTRACTObjectives: This study aimed to identify whether the structure underlying the on-field interpersonal positioning tendencies of soccer players might discriminate the length of ball possession sequences.Methods: Data were gathered using GPS during 5-a-side games performed by under-19 elite soccer players.Results: The results revealed significant differences between clusters in almost all the variables, assuring that the regularity of the distance to centroid accurately discriminated the short from the long sequences of play. Also, the analyses revealed moderate significant interaction between Type of Relation (intra-team vs. inter-team) Sequences of Play (short vs. long) independently of the variable taken as criterion to divide the clusters.Conclusions: Regularity of intra- and inter-team interpersonal coordination is able to discriminate short and long sequences of play during SSG. Generally, short sequences of play displayed higher irregularity than the longer sequences. In the long sequence, inter-team interactions were more irregular than the interactions with teammates, while data showed an opposed trend to the short sequences of play. These findings can be useful for coaching instructional purposes, especially in the design of practice tasks setting the appropriate constraints to promote either short or long offensive sequences of play according to the team characteristics.