Technical Analysis of elite male soccer players by position and success

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A TECHNICAL ANALYSIS OF ELITE MALE SOCCER PLAYERS BY POSITION AND SUCCESS

Contents Page

Page Number                        

List of Tables

List of Figures

Acknowledgements                                                                (i)

Abstract                                                                        (ii)

CHAPTER I

1.0        Introduction                                                                1

        1.1        Aim of Study                                                        3

        1.2        Hypothesis                                                        3

        1.3         Assumptions                                                        3

        1.4        Limitations                                                        4

        1.5        De-Limitations                                                4

        1.6        Definition of Terms                                                4

CHAPTER II

2.0        Literature Review                                                        5

        2.1        Notational Analysis in Football                                5

        2.2        Factors Determining Success Within Association                 7

                Football

        2.3        Evaluation of Individuals Performance                        9

        2.4        Use of Match Analysis by Coaches                                11

        2.5        Individual Roles Within a Team Framework                12

        2.6        Relation of Literature to Study                                14

        2.7        Aims of Study                                                15

CHAPTER III

3.0        Methodology                                                                16

        3.1        Introduction                                                        16

        3.2        Equipment                                                        16

                3.2.1        Pilot Study                                                16

        3.3        Data                                                                17

        3.4        Procedure                                                        17

        3.5        Operational Definitions                                        18

        3.6        Data Processing                                                22

        3.7        Validity and Reliability                                        22

CHAPTER IV

4.0        Results                                                                23

        4.1        Reliability                                                        23

        4.2        Processed Data                                                28

                4.2.1        Distribution of Techniques According

                        To Positional        Role                                        28

  1. Distribution of Technique Ratings

Across Player Position for Selected

Performance Variables                                32

4.2.2.1        Passing                                        32

4.2.2.2        Shooting                                        33

4.2.2.3        Heading                                        34

4.2.2.4        Crossing                                        35

4.2.2.5        Tackling                                        36

4.2.2.6        Receiving the Ball                                37

                4.2.3        Distribution of Techniques in Successful                 39

and Unsuccessful Teams

  1. Distribution of Technique ratings across                41

Selected Performance Variables between

Successful and Unsuccessful Teams

CHAPTER V

5.0        Discussion                                                                47

        5.1        Reliability                                                        47

                5.1.1        Intra-Observer Reliability                                47

                5.1.2        Inter-Observer Reliability                                48

                5.1.3        Evaluation of Reliability                                48

        5.2        Distribution of Techniques According to                        49

                Positional Role                

                5.2.1        Goalkeepers                                                49

                5.2.2        Defenders                                                50

                5.2.3        Midfielders                                                51

                5.2.4        Strikers                                                51

        5.3        Quality of Techniques Performed Across                        52

                Different Playing Positions

  1. Distribution of Techniques Between Successful                55

And Unsuccessful Teams

  1. Average Technique Ratings Between Successful                 56

And Unsuccessful Teams

CHAPTER VI

6.0        Conclusion                                                                58

        6.1        Findings of Study                                                58

        6.2        Recommendations for Players and Coaches                58

        6.3        Future Recommendations                                        59

References                                                                        60

Appendices

        Appendix A:        Example of Data Gathering Sheet

        Appendix B:        Performance Variable and Technical Rating Frequencies

        Appendix C:        Chi-Squared Calculations

 

List of Tables

Table                Title                                                                Page Number

Table 1.        Technical requirements of positions                                           13        

(Wiemeyer, 2003)        

Table 2.        Individual tasks when in possession                                 13

of the ball (Van Lingen, 1997)

Table 3.        Individual tasks when not in possession                         14

of the ball(Van Lingen, 1997)

Table 4.        Outfield player’s operational definitions                         19

used for study

Table 5.        Goalkeeper’s operational definitions used                         19

for study

Table 6.        Continuum of technique ratings                                20

Table 7.         Intra-observer action observation reliability                         23

between T1 and T2

Table 8.        Intra-observer action observation reliability                         24

between T2 and T3

Table 9.        Inter-observer action observation reliability                         25

between T3

Table 10.         Intra observer technique rating reliability                         26

between T1 and T2

Table 11.         Intra observer technique rating reliability                         26

between T2 and T3

Table 12.         Inter-observer technique rating reliability                         27

between T3

List of Figures

Figure                Title                                                                Page Number

Figure 1.        Pitch division example as used in analysis                         21

(adapted from James et al., 2002).

Figure 2.        Distribution of goalkeeper’s on the ball actions                28

Figure 3.        Distribution of defenders on the ball actions                        28

Figure 4.        Distribution of midfielders on the ball actions                29

Figure 5.        Distribution of strikers on the ball actions                        29

Figure 6.        Comparison of the techniques used between                         30

defenders, midfielders and strikers

Figure 7.        Average quality rating of techniques used across                 31

playing positions

Figure 8.        Distribution of defenders passing technique ratings                32

Figure 9.        Distribution of midfielders passing technique ratings        32

Figure 10.        Distribution of strikers passing technique ratings                32

Figure 11.        Distribution of defenders shooting technique ratings                33

Figure 12.        Distribution of midfielders shooting technique ratings        33

Figure 13.        Distribution of strikers shooting technique ratings                33

Figure 14.        Distribution of defenders heading technique ratings                34

Figure 15.        Distribution of midfielders heading technique ratings        34

Figure 16.        Distribution of strikers heading technique ratings                35

Figure 17.        Distribution of defenders crossing technique ratings                35

Figure 18.        Distribution of midfielders crossing technique ratings        35

Figure 19.        Distribution of strikers crossing technique ratings                36

Figure 20.        Distribution of defenders tackling technique ratings                36

Figure 21.        Distribution of midfielders tackling technique ratings        37

Figure 22.        Distribution of strikers tackling technique ratings                37

Figure 23.        Distribution of defenders receiving the ball technique         37

ratings

Figure 24.        Distribution of midfielders receiving the ball technique         38

ratings

Figure 25.        Distribution of strikers receiving the ball technique ratings        38

Figure 26.        Frequency of techniques used between successful and         39

unsuccessful teams

Figure 27.        Average quality rating of techniques used between                 39

successful and unsuccessful teams

Figure 28.        Frequency of goalkeeper techniques used between                 40

successful and unsuccessful teams

Figure 29.        Average quality rating of goalkeeper techniques used         40

between successful and unsuccessful teams

Figure 30.        Distribution of passing technique ratings between                 41

successful and unsuccessful teams

Figure 31.        Distribution of receiving the ball technique ratings                 42

between successful and unsuccessful teams

Figure 32.        Distribution of shooting technique ratings between                 42

successful and unsuccessful teams

Figure 33.        Distribution of running with the ball technique ratings         43

between successful and unsuccessful teams

Figure 34.        Distribution of dribbling technique ratings between                 43

successful and unsuccessful teams

Figure 35.        Distribution of heading technique ratings between                 44

successful and unsuccessful teams

Figure 36.        Distribution of crossing technique ratings between                 44

successful and unsuccessful teams

Figure 37.        Distribution of tackling technique ratings between                 45

successful and unsuccessful teams

Figure 38.        Distribution of goalkeeper kicks technique ratings                 45

between successful and unsuccessful teams

Figure 39.        Distributions of goalkeeper pass technique ratings                 46

between successful and unsuccessful teams

Acknowledgements

A big thank you to Mike Hughes for his guidance and expertise throughout the duration of this dissertation.

I would also like to extend my gratitude to my Mum, Dad, family and Leanne for their much needed support and assistance throughout my degree course.

Any finally to James, Matt, Steve and Steve for all the laughs along the way.

Abstract        

Since the early work of Reep and Benjamin (1968), many aspects of association football have been utilised by researchers within notational analysis. Several researchers (Reilly and Holmes, 1983; Luhtanen, 1988; Dufour, 1993) have however identified the lack of literature existing detailing the exact technical demands with regard to their relative successful performance between specific positions of play.

The purpose of the investigation was to deliver such a technical analysis of playing positions within elite level International football at the European Championships 2004. The data were gathered by a specifically designed notation system which collected qualitative data based on the relative successful execution of techniques performed, post event. Players were grouped into positional classes as goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders or strikers. A comparison was also made between the technical distributions of both a successful and unsuccessful team.

The Chi Squared statistical test was used to compare differences between the frequency distributions and the differences in technical ratings between positions and the successful and unsuccessful teams. Significance was accepted at the (p<0.05) level (Vincent, 1999). Significant differences (p<0.05) were found between the frequency distributions of all 3 outfield positions, but no significant differences (p>0.05) were found between the accumulated means of technique ratings across all of the performance indicators. Individual variable analysis however showed significant differences (p<0.05) occurred between specific performance indicators across positions.

No significant differences (p>0.05) were discovered between either the frequency distribution or the technical rating of outfield players between successful and unsuccessful teams. A significant difference (p<0.05) was however apparent between the frequency distribution of goalkeepers actions between successful and unsuccessful teams.

   

The study implicates that coaches must be selective of which players play within certain positions and that training sessions must be accurate to the specific needs of individuals and their position within a team.

  1. Introduction

The process of hand notation is an important tool, which can be used to inform the coaching process. Hand notation is a cheap, simple, accurate but time consuming method of notation (Hughes and Franks, 2004). It provides a coach with an objective view of the key elements of a performance. Notational analysis can provide many aspects of information to a coach. Hughes (1998) defined the 5 purposes of notational analysis:

  1. Analysis of Movement;
  2. Educational use for both coaches and players;
  3. Tactical Evaluation;
  4. Development of a data base/modelling;
  5. Technical Evaluation.

   Due to its structure of incorporating individual techniques within a team framework, association football provides a notational analyst with an ideal field for analysis. Within association football, the use of notational analysis enables coaches to improve aspects of their own team’s play, at both an individual or collective level and also to interpret the actions of any future opposition.

   Reilly and Thomas (1976) adapted a methodology in order to analyse player’s movement, or more specifically work rate within different positional roles in a first division football team. Observations were made over the course of a season, incorporating a total of 51 competitive games, both home and away. Player’s movements throughout a game were subdivided into several distinct movement classifications. This allowed the individual movement characteristics of different positional roles to be established and therefore for accurate training strategies to be incorporated.

   The use of feedback was identified by Franks (1997). Feedback can have an educational use for both players and coaches, as it is an important component of the coaching process. Franks stated that any improvement in performance is a consequence of task related feedback. Feedback can be provided before, during and after a skilled performance to both specific individuals and to whole teams alike.

    A tactical evaluation of association football was achieved by Yamanaka et al., (1997) who performed a computerised notational analysis of 8 games in the 1994 World Cup Asian Qualifying matches. The respective playing patterns of the teams were analysed, with a particular emphasis upon the Japanese national team. This was achieved by entering 32 actions of players in relation to an 18 cell division of the pitch. From the data it was found statistically significant that Japan used dribbling more as a tactic (p<0.05), used more passes (p<0.01) and more frequently used a clearing kick (p<0.05).

   Garganta (1998) suggested how the development of a soccer data base/model can be considered as a mediator between a theoretical and an empirical field. He states that it is important to understand a soccer team’s organisation and to observe a whole teams actions. Garganta explained how game modelling is acquiring greater importance in order to analyse performance trends and to prioritise any such problems of the training process.

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   A technical evaluation was achieved by Partridge et al., (1993). A specialised computer analysis system was developed, using 38 key events entered in real time by a trained analyst. The system was used to provide a comprehensive technical evaluation of performance by comparing the results of 2 distinct levels of performance, the 1990 FIFA World Cup and the 1990 World Collegiate Soccer Championships. From the results it can be inferred that collegiate coaches must be selective when presenting World Cup teams as an appropriate model of performance as many differences do occur, which makes any comparison invalid.

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