Changing Rules and Configurations During Soccer Small-Sided and Conditioned Games. How Does It Impact Teams' Tactical Behavior?

Author(s)

Machado, Joao Claudio ^{[1, 2]} ; Ribeiro, Joao ^[3] ; Palheta, Carlos Ewerton ^[4] ; Alcantara, Chellsea ^[5] ; Barreira, Daniel ^[3] ; Guilherme, Jose ^[3] ; Garganta, Julio ^[3] ; Scaglia, Alcides Jose ^{[1, 6]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Estadual Campinas, Fac Phys Educ, Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Fed Amazonas, Human Performance Lab LEDEHU, Fac Phys Educ & Physiotherapy, Manaus, Amazonas - Brazil

^[3] Univ Porto, Fac Sport, Ctr Res Educ Innovat & Intervent Sport CIFI2D, Porto - Portugal

^[4] Univ Fed Santa Catarina, Sports Pedag Res Ctr NuPPE LAPE, Florianopolis, SC - Brazil

^[5] Univ Fed Santa Catarina, Res Grp Dev Football & Futsal, Florianopolis, SC - Brazil

^[6] Univ Estadual Campinas, Lab Sport Pedag LEPE, Sch Appl Sci FCA, Limeira - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: FRONTIERS IN PSYCHOLOGY; v. 10, JUL 9 2019.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate how team's tactical behavior varies within and between age categories in different Small-Sided and Conditioned Games' configurations and conditions. Twenty non-elite youth male soccer players (U15, n = 10, mean age = 13.5 +/- 1.2 years; U17, n = 10, mean age = 16.3 +/- 0.5 years) were selected. Thirty-six Small-Sided and Conditioned Games (SSCG) were played in both categories, namely three Representative SSCG (R-SSCG), three Maintaining Ball Possession Games (MBPG) and three Progression to Target Games (PTG) performed for each configuration (Gk+3vs3+Gk and Gk+4vs4+Gk). Teams' tactical behavior was analyzed based on simple and composite performance indicators, as well as through Lag Sequential Analysis. Rules manipulation and SSCG configurations influenced teams' tactical behavior on both categories, but in different ways. Teams composed by younger players presented greater difficulties in MBPG played in smaller games configuration, while Gk+4vs4+Gk configuration can be used to enhance teams' tactical performance of younger players in R-SSCG and MBPG conditions. Moreover, increasing rules manipulations appeared to negatively impact on teams' exploratory behavior. Therefore, practitioners should carefully manipulate key constraints to adapt task demands to players' age category and training session's goals in order to enhance tactical performance. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 17/12142-5 - Applying a nonlinear pedagogical approach in football: Analysis of the relationship between the design of representative training tasks and the skill level of football players
• Grantee: Alcides José Scaglia
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants