Offensive Styles Research Articles

Physical fitness in young top level table tennis players: differences between sex, age and playing style

Understanding the physical fitness of table tennis (TT) players could be interesting in improving the training process and evaluating talent. This study aimed to assess the physical fitness of U14 TT players and differentiate between sex, age and playing style. A total of 352 players (203 males and 149 females) aged between 9 and 13 years participated in the present study. Furthermore, the sample was divided according to playing style: offensive (OFF) and mixed + defensive (M + D). A battery of tests was carried out to assess cardiorespiratory capacity, speed, strength, flexibility and power. Both sexes reported significant differences in cardiorespiratory capacity and speed (p < 0.05). Concerning age, there were substantial differences in cardiorespiratory capacity, speed, strength and power, with older players obtaining better results (p < 0.05). Finally, concerning playing style, differences were reported in cardiorespiratory capacity, higher in OFF style group, and flexibility, higher in the M + D style group. Finally, there were relationships between playing style and cardiorespiratory fitness and flexibility. Physical fitness evolves with increasing age as a function of sex. This is the first study to assess fitness in a large sample of TT players as a function of playing style.

Is ball-possession style more physically demanding than counter-attacking? The influence of playing style on match performance in professional soccer.

In soccer, the offensive style of play describes characteristic behavioral features of the players at team level during the offensive phase of matches. This study aimed to investigate the effect of offensive playing style (i.e., while in ball possession) on physical and technical match performance during offensive play as well as success-related factors. The sample consisted of official tracking and event data of 153 matches of the 2020/21 German Bundesliga season. For every team in every match an offensive playing style coefficient was calculated to locate teams on a continuum between ball possession and counter-attacking style. This calculation contains 11 technical and physical performance parameters and has already been validated. In addition, dependent physical (e.g., sprinting distance), technical (e.g., passes), and success-related (e.g., goals) variables were examined. A separate linear mixed model was calculated for each dependent variable. While teams with lower playing style coefficient values (= counter-attacking style) covered more high-intensity (p ≤ 0.01; R2 = 0.13) and sprinting distances per second in possession (p ≤ 0.01; R2 = 0.14), teams with higher playing style coefficient values (= ball possession style) were physically more demanded over a whole match (e.g., more accelerations (p ≤ 0.01; R2 = 0.69), decelerations (p ≤ 0.01; R2 = 0.69), high-intensity (p ≤ 0.01; R2 = 0.36), sprint distance (p = 0.03; R2 = 0.08)). Furthermore, teams with higher playing style coefficient values played more horizontal passes (p ≤ 0.01; R2 = 0.73) and revealed better passing success rates (p ≤ 0.01; R2 = 0.17). In contrast, teams with lower playing style coefficient values played more long passes (p < 0.01; R2 = 0.58). The influence of the playing style coefficient on success-related variables was smaller (p ≤ 0.36; R2 = 0.10-0.13). Concluding, offensive playing style affects physical and technical match performance, but has limited influence on success. Hence, coaches can use the findings to optimize training contents to prepare players for the physical demands of a match.

Female murderers who mutilate or dismember their victims: An exploration of patterns and sex differences.

Attributes and behavioral patterns of female homicide offenders have been less explored than those of males, particularly in crimes that involve aggravating factors such as dismemberment and mutilation. This study explored the patterns of female murderers who engage in postmortem dismemberment and/or mutilation of victims, contrasting these with the patterns of males who display these same behaviors. Cases were obtained from Radford-Florida Gulf Coast University Database and public sources, and then analyzed for specific characteristics of the crimes. An informational form was used to derive quantitative parameters. Statistical significance between sex and variables such as motive, dismemberment/mutilation style, and level of organization during the crime were examined. The majority of the cases were consistent with a defensive style. However, 23% of the cases involving females followed an offensive style compared to 33% among males. The nature of prior relationships between offenders and their victims was noteworthy, with the victims of males being largely strangers and the victims of females being primarily known to them. In comparison to males, females were markedly organized. These differences may emphasize aspects of psychological drives and pleasure-seeking that was more commonly seen among men, who often targeted strangers and were motivated by sadism in 25% of the cases. Dismemberment perpetrated by women primarily followed a defensive style that aimed to dispose of evidence, which would be congruent with the assumption that the murder occurred within a prior background of interpersonal partner violence toward the female perpetrator or other family members.

Analysis of goal scoring patterns and match outcome during the Intercontinental Beach Soccer Cup Dubai 2019

Aim: To characterize the goal-scoring patterns and investigate the goal process on match outcome during the Intercontinental Beach Soccer Cup Dubai 2019. Methods: A set of 35 goal-scoring patterns were grouped into nine macro-categories: Match-period, Court-zone, Set-play, Open-play, Touching by players before the goal, Offensive method, Goalkeeper-line, Number of passes before the goal, and Ball trajectory. Match outcome in regular time was considered the matches resulting in a loss (n=16), draw (n=8), or win (n=16). The offensive sequences that resulted in the goal were analyzed in all 20 matches during the competition (n=138 goals). Results: The most goals were scored in Open-play (69%), during the 2nd and 3rd periods (36% for each), near to goal (Zone 4; 50%), preceded by 1-touch (67%) and 0-pass (29%), using positional attack (46%), without goalkeeper-line (68%), and with high-ball trajectory (51%). In addition, won matches presented a higher number of goals in Zone 4, 1-touch, Counterattack, 4v4 goal-successful, Receiving pass, Sand-touch, and High-ball compared to draw and loss matches (p<0.001−0.03; Effect Size [ES]=1.24−2.58, large). Conclusion: In summary, winning teams scored their goals mainly in open-play situations and without a goalkeeper-line, using counterattacks to achieve zones near the opponent's goals, and implementing a direct offensive style. In addition, goals scored were usually preceded by 1-touch, both through high-ball and sand-touch ball trajectory. Coaches and practitioners may consider these goal processes to train prescription and deep understanding of the process to goal in elite Beach soccer.

Defensive vs offensive style on clay courts

Abstract Introduction In tennis, knowledge of the characteristics of different playing styles is essential to achieve the desired results and to improve specialized technical-tactical procedures according to the playing surface on which the match is played, together with the individual and opponents’ peculiarities. Purpose Adopting a style of play that is suited to the individual characteristics of the player, the opponent and the characteristics of the playing surface can improve the chances of winning for the player who is mostly on the defensive. This comparative study aims to highlight the differences between the two players in a tournament on a slow surface, using the chosen methods and means. Methods The main research method was the method of analysing the 6 matches using different statistical indices. In doing so, the average results of all 6 matches played by the two players up to the final were compared with the results of the statistical indices of the final match. For this study we have selected the main indices for the topic. Results The results of the study showed that a defensive player spends more time on the court during a tournament. With the help of data analysis and recordings, it can be observed that the offensive or defensive player stands out according to the studied parameters. Some parameters are specific to a style of play. Also, a defensive player with good speed and agility can adapt more easily on a slow surface (clay). Conclusions The playing surface can negatively affect the results obtained in major tournaments if the emphasis in training is not placed on developing a game adapted to individual characteristics. Also, the player who can adapt during the match has a better chance of winning a Grand Slam tournament.

Uporedna analiza vrhunskih evropskih seniorki i juniorki u stonom tenisu - dužina poena i igra posle serve i prijema serve

The aim of the study was to compare elite junior and senior women table tennis players, using three parameters of the table tennis: rally length, serve and receive analysis. Twenty-five junior and twenty-five elite senior matches were analysed (total: 263 sets and 4958 points) between players ranked in Top 25 in ETTU rankings in the last two years. All the athletes used an offensive style of play. The results of non-parametric Mann-Whitney U Test, showed a significantly higher rally length in senior compared to junior category (4.46 vs. 3.93). Moreover, the results of Pearson's Chi-square tests show an association between the age categories and selected parameters (laterality, technique and placement) for both serve and receive. Different behavior between the two categories was noted. The senior players used more the flip technique (22.2 % vs 14.7 %) and short push to return the services of the opponents (32.5 % vs 26.0 %). These results provide useful information to analyze junior players' behavior compared to the senior players in order to plan specific training sessions. It can be also useful to identify some parameters as predictors of the future success for junior players.

Criminal cannibalism: An examination of patterns and styles

Abstract Cannibalism is a practice that has been present in numerous cultures. Personal cause or criminal cannibalism is arguably one of the most unfathomable acts which an individual might perpetrate. This study examined the patterns of those who engage in cannibalism in comparison to those who posthumously dismember or mutilate their victims but do not consume their flesh. Cases were extracted from the Serial Killer Database, as well as media sources, and assessed for characteristics of the perpetrators. An informational form was developed and used to establish quantitative parameters and objectively extract pertinent information that could be used for comparison and pattern analysis. Variables including motives, styles, and level of organization during the crime were examined for each case. The majority of the cannibalism cases were consistent with an offensive style (56.7%), while cases in the dismemberment-only group were marked by a defensive style (66.7%). Whereas the majority of dismemberment/mutilation cases have the ultimate goal of disposing of evidence, the dataset demonstrated that cannibal cases are primarily planned, organized and driven by sadism. The findings support two primary patterns among cannibalistic offenders: ‘psychosis-driven, disorganized and aggressive’ and ‘sadism-driven, organized and offensive’.

Dismemberment and Mutilation: A Data-Driven Exploration of Patterns, Motives, and Styles.

Classification of violent behavior, including dismemberment and mutilation, has become increasingly more significant. This study uses a data-driven classification system based upon knowledge drawn from the pertinent literature, and examination of cases of offenders who have dismembered or mutilated their victims. The latter were extracted from the Serial Killer Database, as well as media sources, and assessed for characteristics of the perpetrators and victim(s). An informational form was developed and used to establish quantitative parameters and objectively extract pertinent information that could be used for comparison and pattern analysis. Motives and styles, as well as the organized/disorganized dichotomy for murder and dismemberment/mutilation, were examined for each case. The majority of cases demonstrated defensive styles (60%), with the second most common being offensive styles (26%), which differs from previous studies that do not exclude older cases. Additionally, 68% of cases reflected organized patterns for both murder and the acts of dismemberment or mutilation. The results support a data-driven classification system that may serve as a foundational model for the investigation of specific motives of this type of deviant behavior in future research.

Crime Scene Behaviors and Characteristics of Offenders with Mental Illness: A Latent Class Analysis.

The current study aimed to identify distinct types of crime scene behaviors based on the criminal planning and motivation of offenders with mental illness in South Korea. Furthermore, our study examined the relationships between the identified types of crime scene behaviors in terms of the offenders' sociodemographic characteristics, modus operandi, and types of mental illness. Utilizing latent class analysis, the associations between crime scene behavior types and offender characteristics such as demographic factors, crime scene actions, and criminal information were empirically investigated. In particular, based on a sample obtained from a national police database of offenses committed between 2006 and 2014, four offense groups were identified: (i) instrumental-planned, (ii) instrumental-unplanned, (iii) expressive-unplanned, and (iv) hybrid. Additionally, significant relationships were found between offense styles and offender characteristics as well as criminal backgrounds. The findings suggest that mental disorders influence the types of actions exhibited by offenders during the commission of their crime. The results are discussed in terms of their theoretical and practical utility to criminal investigation.

Identification and Preference of Game Styles in LaLiga Associated with Match Outcomes.

The objective was to model the teams’ styles of play (SoPs) in elite football and relate them to the match result. For this, the twenty Spanish first division teams in the 2016–2017 season were analysed, using nine interaction performance indicators (IRi). A principal component (PC) analysis was applied. From two PCs four SoPs were established: deep or high-pressure defending, and elaborate or direct attack. The SoPs were distributed according to average performance obtained throughout the championship. The connection between the preferred SoP and the final result was estimated. Teams with elaborate offensive styles and teams defensively minded got better results. In addition, most of the teams showed variability in their SoP. The applications of the study are (1) the IRi have served to identify SoP and can be used as a reference to optimize team performance; (2) teams should have a varied SoP repertoire, as well as being prepared to deal with different SoPs; (3) particular player profiles should be connected with the desired SoP when creating the squad and (4) clubs should develop a varied range of SoPs at their academies.

Comparative advantage as a success factor in football clubs: Evidence from the English Premier League (EPL)

As in international trade, football clubs can benefit more if they specialize in what they have or can create comparative advantage. In a world of scarce resources, clubs need to identify what makes them successful and invest accordingly. The main objective of this study is to understand what influences the success of football teams in the English Premier League (EPL) championship games. Based on Ricardo’s model of comparative advantage and applying Factor analysis as well as Panel data approach, this study investigates the need for specialization and tradeoffs between defensive and offensive patterns of the game in order for EPL clubs to be more successful. The data used in this study covers the period 2010-2017 of the EPL data. The results reveal that, in general, a better defense is slightly more important for success. The outcomes were different for the top- and bottom-ranking clubs. We found that it is more important for bottom-ranking teams to play better defensively than offensively, while for top-performing teams, the probability of success is more affected by offensive style. In addition, there is a tradeoff between these two styles of play; when bottom-ranking teams try to play better defensively, it often comes at the expense of a poor offensive pattern, but almost no one plays offense at the expense of a poor defense. Unlike the bottom-ranking teams, the top-ranking teams did not face tradeoffs, but they were able to improve both their defensive and offensive patterns. The recommendation put forward by this study argue that bottom-ranking clubs should specialize first in defense.

A Study on the Comparison of Kyrgyz and Turkish University Students in Terms of Anger Expression Styles, Humor and Obedience

The aim of this study is to compare Kyrgyz and Turkish students in terms of styles of anger, anger expression, humor, and obedience. The scales for anger expression styles, humor styles, and obedience were applied to 206 Kyrgyz and 197 Turkish students. The greatest differences were found in obedience. Turkish students' continuous anger and anger control scores were significantly higher than those of Kyrgyz students. Although no difference was found in progressive humor, there are significant differences between students from two countries in participatory, offensive, and self-annihilatory humor styles. The findings obtained in the study are compared with the findings of other studies of aggression, humor, and obedience in different cultures and suggestions were made.

Behavioral Consistency Among Serial Burglars

This study evaluates the behavioral consistency in offending styles among a sample of serial burglars from the United States. Three popular specialization analyses—Jaccard’s coefficient, the forward specialization coefficient (FSC), and the Diversity (D) index—are used to compare if, and how much, variation exists in the behavior of serial burglars committing different styles of offenses, among the three analyses. Results show that there is variation across the analyses, with the FSC and D index suggesting serial burglars are relatively consistent in their burglary offense styles. However, burglars with organized and disorganized offense styles are more consistent in behavior across offenses than burglars who committed opportunistic and interpersonal style offenses. These findings have important methodological implications for criminological research, and practical implications for policing and crime linkage analysis.

A Firesetting Offense Chain for Mentally Disordered Offenders

Relatively little effort has been made to develop and validate theories that explain firesetting. In this study, the first offense chain model of firesetting in mentally disordered offenders was developed. Twenty-three mentally disordered firesetters were interviewed about the affective, cognitive, behavioral, and contextual factors leading up to and surrounding one of their recorded firesetting offenses. Offense account interviews were analyzed using grounded theory. The resulting model consists of four main phases: (a) background, (b) early adulthood, (c) pre-offense period, and (d) offense and post-offense period. The model accounts for firesetting by male and female mentally disordered offenders and highlights the importance of early childhood experiences of fire and the onset of mental illness as precursors to firesetting within this population. Furthermore, the model is able to distinguish between different types of mentally disordered firesetters and their offense styles. The clinical implications and utility of the model are also discussed.

Creating Burglary Profiles Using Latent Class Analysis

This research creates a new criminal profile for burglary by establishing the link among certain offender traits, past criminal behavior, and crime scene features. Utilizing latent class analysis (LCA) to identify underlying groups within the offender and offense characteristics, the relationship between certain offense styles and the most likely offender may then be established. These offense–offender profiles may be used by police to predict traits of an unknown offender based on information from a crime scene alone. Based on a sample of 405 burglaries committed between 2008 and 2009 in Florida, four criminal history groups, four offender types, and four offense styles were identified using LCA. A significant relationship was found among the offense styles and offender trait types, as well as between the offender trait and criminal history categories. This study serves both theoretical and practical purposes, as the findings have important implications for academia and law enforcement alike.

Discriminating Factors between Successful and Unsuccessful Elite Youth Olympic Female Basketball Teams

The purpose of the present study was to examine the differences in game-related statistics in discriminating successful from the unsuccessful female basketball teams that took part in the 1st Youth Olympic Games (YOG) FIBA33 games held in Singapore from 15 to 23 August 2010. A total of 70 games played by the 20 participating countries were used for data analysis. The game-related statistics analysed were: free-throws awarded, successful 2- and 3-points field goals, fouls (team and personal), assists, turnovers, steals, blocks and player’s physical height. Results of the present study with reference to the structure coefficients (SC) showed that having taller players (SC=.38) with higher successful field goal percentage (2 points, SC=.45), less turnovers (SC=.51), more team assists (SC=.32), aggressive offensive style that could draw more fouls on opponents (SC=.58) and be awarded more free throws (SC=.40), were the significant key variables that discriminated successful from the unsuccessful teams. Ninety-five percent of the cases were correctly classified using discriminant analysis and in the cross-validation (leave-one-out method) the correct re-classification was 70%. The results can be used to inform coaches in player’s recruitment and development process for FIBA 33 modified basketball game.

Playing tactics in the English premier league, Spain's La Liga and Italy's Serie A

The purpose of this study was to analyse the different styles of play (counter-attack (CA), fast attack (FA) and positional attack (PA)) in the football teams of Manchester United (MU),...

A Descriptive Model of the Offense Process for Female Sexual Offenders

Although considerable efforts have been made to develop and validate etiological models of male sexual offending, no theory is available to guide research or practice with female sexual offenders (FSOs). In this study, the authors developed a descriptive, offense process model of female sexual offending. Systematic qualitative analyses (i.e., grounded theory) of 22 FSOs' offense interviews were used to develop a temporal model documenting the contributory roles of cognitive, behavioral, affective, and contextual factors in female sexual abuse. The model highlights notable similarities and divergences between male and female sexual offenders' vulnerability factors and offense styles. In particular, the model incorporates male co-offender and group co-offender influences and describes how these interact with vulnerability factors to generate female sexual offending. The gender-specific research and clinical implications of the model are discussed.

Crown of thorns: Ancient prophecy and the (post)modern spectacle

This article juxtaposes actress Rachel Griffiths’ ‘art installation, one-woman protest’ at Crown Casino, Melbourne, in 1997, with Jesus of Nazareth’s ‘provocative one-man street theatre’ in the Jerusalem temple reported in the biblical Gospels (Mark 11:15-19 and parallels). I consider that Griffiths’ casino-action echoes the style and content of the ancient prophetic symbolic actions (sign-acts) in the Bible. The juxtaposition is therefore undertaken as a means of apprehending in the (post)modern world the radical nature of ancient prophetic symbolic actions, such as Jesus’ temple-action. I suggest that the affronting and offensive style and content of such actions may generate an ‘alienation-effect’ (Brecht) provoking critical engagement with a commonly assumed reality. And in the ‘society of spectacle’ (Debord), in which a revolution against the spectacle can only take the form of spectacle (Baudrillard), the appropriation of powerful images from the Bible may introduce an alternative reality.

And Then There Were Three: Self-Presentational Styles and the Presence of the Partner as a Third Person in the Interview

As a result of a third person’s being present in an interview, the interviewee can be motivated to change his or her answer and try to present a certain impression to the interviewer and the third person. Drawing on a qualitative interview study conducted in the Netherlands and Belgium, the present study examines why partners want to be present in interviews and what self-presentational styles their spouses use when they are present. Seventeen interviews conducted with eight families were analyzed from a self-presentational framework. Some interviewees used a protective self-presentation when partners were around, only to shift to an offensive style when the partner had left. Assertive and defensive strategies were also used in joint interviews. Contrary to expectations, several couples did not adjust their opinions and made no attempt to convey the image of a harmonious marriage. It is concluded that interviewees are subject to motivation change in some cases, which can undermine the validity of the data as less information is collected.