Acta Gymnica e2021.003 | DOI: 10.5507/ag.2021.003

High-intensity activity according to playing position with different team formations in soccer

Javier J. Vilamitjana¹, Gabriel Heinze², Pablo Verde³, Julio Calleja-González⁴

¹ Soccer Research Group, Friends Club - CDA, Buenos Aires, Argentina

² Sports and Cultural Association of Crespo, Crespo, Argentina

³ Coordination Centre of Clinical Trials, University of Dusseldorf, Dusseldorf, Germany

⁴ Physical Activity and Sports Sciences, University of the Basque Country - UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain

Background: A tactical factor such as playing formation seems to be another influencing factor in the physical performance of elite soccer players during the match. Some researchers have suggested that distances covered during high-intensity running in matches are valid measures of physical performance. They concluded that players covered greater distances of high-intensity activities during some team formations in comparison to others.

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine high-intensity patterns of professional soccer players in relation to the positional role with two different playing formations.

Methods: Match data were collected during official games systematically playing in 1-3-4-3 and 1-4-2-1-3 formations. Nineteen professional players (age 24.7 ± 4.8 years, body mass 74.5 ± 6.2 kg, height 176.3 ± 5.3 cm, percentage of body fat 9.7 ± 2.5%) were classified into five positional roles: central defender, wide defender, midfielder, wing and forward. Match performance variables included moderate-intensity running (14.9-19.8 km/h), high-speed running (19.9-25.2 km/h) and sprinting (> 25.2 km/h). The number of runs (#HSR, #SPR) and metabolic rates as HILR ([MIR + HSR + SPR]/min) and HSSL ([HSR + SPR]/min) were determined.

Results: The statistical analysis revealed that #SPR (p = .045), HILR (p = .022) and HSSL (p = .019) were higher in 1-4-2-1-3 than 1-3-4-3 formation. According to the playing position, significant differences were found in HILR (p = .045) and HSSL (p = .028) for forwards during 1-4-2-1-3 and midfielders amounted more HILR than others in that team formation (p = .047). Additionally, wings amounted significantly higher #HSR (p = .011) and #SPR (p = .010) in 1-4-2-1-3, as long as forwards was the other position with more #SPR during that formation (p = .023).

Conclusions: The players performed more high-intensity patterns in 1-4-2-1-3. Attackers and midfielders were the playing positions that held the most statistical differences comparing both team formations. These findings reveal that playing formation seems to be another potential factor of influence with respect to the physical performance of elite players if we consider their high-intensity profile in particular.

Keywords: professional soccer player, tactical formation, positional role, match demands analysis, high-intensity patterns, sprinting performance

Received: August 6, 2020; Revised: January 29, 2021; Accepted: February 9, 2021; Published online: March 29, 2021  Show citation