Abstract
Traditional reliability checks on performance analysis systems tend to involve two observations made on the same player in the same game. Such an analysis does not include between-match variability, which would be present in any longitudinal or large scale cross-sectional soccer research. Few attempts to date have been made to provide a detailed analysis of this variation in key match performance activities in soccer. PURPOSE: To determine the between-match variability in high-intensity running activity in elite soccer players and the influence of playing position and team success. METHODS: A total of 7355 individual match work-rate observations were undertaken on 563 outfield players (median of 8 games per player; range = 1-57 games) competing in the English Premier League from 2003/2004 to 2005/2006 using a novel computerised tracking system (Prozone®, Leeds, England). Between-match coefficients of variation (CV) and associated 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated and compared between different player positions and team success levels using a general linear model. RESULTS: The mean CV for high speed running and sprint distance covered during a game was 16.2 + 0.3% (95%CI = 15.7-16.8%) and 30.8 + 0.5% (95%CI = 29.9-31.7%) respectively. This variability was generally lower for attacking players but higher for defenders. The variability in number of sprints during a game was larger for sprints of greater distance (< 5m mean CV of 14.5 + 0.3%, 95%CI =14.0-15.0%; 15-20m, 64.4 + 1.4%, 95%CI = 62.1-66.6%). Differences between levels of team success were small, although players from more successful teams showed less between-match variability in the number of sprints of 10-15m in length. CONCLUSIONS: Match-to-match variability in performance characteristics of elite soccer players is high and not dependent on team success. This inherent variability means that research requires large sample sizes in order to detect real systematic changes in performance characteristics.
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