Zlatko Jerkovic1, Toni Modric2, Sime Versic1,2
1University of Split, Faculty of Kinesiology
2HNK Hajduk Split, Split, Croatia
Analysis of the Associations between Contextual Variables and Match Running Performance in Croatian First Division Soccer
Sport Mont 2022, 20(2), 125-130 | DOI: 10.26773/smj.220619
Abstract
It has been hypothesized that contextual variables (i.e. match location, opponents’ level) could be important deter- minants of running performance (RP) in soccer matches, but empirical studies provided inconsistent evidences. This study aimed to investigate the associations between contextual variables (CV) and RP in Croatian soccer players. Players’ RP (n=193) were evaluated, and used as cases in this study. CV included match outcome (win-draw-loss), opponent’s level (higher vs. lower ranked), and match location (home-away). RP were measured by global position- ing system during the soccer matches in seasons 2018/19 (n=14) and 2019/20 (n=15) of Croatian first division, and included: the total distance covered, low-intensity (<14.3 km/h), running (14.4–19.7 km/h), high-intensity running (>19.8 km/h), high-speed running (19.8–25.1 km/h) and sprinting (>25.2 km/h). Results indicated significantly great- er amount of distance covered in running zone for away matches (F-test: 7.83, p<0.01, small effect size; 1392±353 m and 1262±294 m, for home and away matches, respectively). Similar RP were observed irrespective of opponents’ level (F-test: 0.05 to 1.53, p>0.05). Lowest total-, low- and running-zone distances were evidenced in won matches (9893±896 m, 8035±614 m and 1241±312 m, respectively), followed by drawn matches (10298±913 m, 8287±838 m and 1363±320 m, respectively) and lost matches (10355±1052 m, 8279±742 m and 1406±343 m, respectively). This study demonstrated that (i) won matches were characterized by lower RP, (ii) association between RP and match location was limited, (iii) RP was not related to the opponents’ level.
Keywords
situational factors, football, physical performance, match outcome, match location
View full article
(PDF – 102KB)
References
Andrzejewski, M., Chmura, J., Pluta, B., & Konarski, J. M. (2015). Sprinting activities and distance covered by top level Europa league soccer players. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 10(1), 39-50.
Andrzejewski, M., Konefał, M., Chmura, P., Kowalczuk, E., & Chmura, J. (2016). Match outcome and distances covered at various speeds in match play by elite German soccer players. International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport, 16(3), 817-828.
Aquino, R., Carling, C., Palucci Vieira, L. H., Martins, G., Jabor, G., Machado, J., Santiago, P., Garganta, J., & Puggina, E. (2020). Influence of situational variables, team formation, and playing position on match running performance and social network analysis in brazilian professional soccer players. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 34(3), 808-817.
Aquino, R., Vieira, L. H. P., Carling, C., Martins, G. H., Alves, I. S., & Puggina, E. F. (2017). Effects of competitive standard, team formation and playing position on match running performance of Brazilian professional soccer players. International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport, 17(5), 695-705.
Asian Clemente, J. A., Requena, B., Jukic, I., Nayler, J., Hernández, A. S., & Carling, C. (2019). Is physical performance a differentiating element between more or less successful football teams? Sports, 7(10), 216.
Barrera, J., Sarmento, H., Clemente, F. M., Field, A., & Figueiredo, A. J. (2021). The Effect of Contextual Variables on Match Performance across Different Playing Positions in Professional Portuguese Soccer Players. International journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(10), 5175.
Bloomfield, J., Polman, R., & O’Donoghue, P. (2005). Effects of score-line on intensity of play in midfield and forward players in the FA Premier League. Journal of Sports Sciences, 23, 191-192.
Bradley, P. S., Carling, C., Gomez Diaz, A., Hood, P., Barnes, C., Ade, J., Boddy, M., Krustrup, P., & Mohr, M. (2013). Match performance and physical capacity of players in the top three competitive standards of English professional soccer. Human Movement Science, 32(4), 808-821.
Carling, C. (2013). Interpreting physical performance in professional soccer match-play: should we be more pragmatic in our approach? Sports medicine, 43(8), 655-663.
Castellano, J., Blanco-Villaseñor, A., & Alvarez, D. (2011). Contextual variables and time-motion analysis in soccer. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 32(06), 415-421.
Chmura, P., Liu, H., Andrzejewski, M., Chmura, J., Kowalczuk, E., Rokita, A., & Konefał, M. (2021). Is there meaningful influence from situational and environmental factors on the physical and technical activity of elite football players? Evidence from the data of 5 consecutive seasons of the German Bundesliga. PloS One, 16(3), e0247771.
Ferguson, C. J. (2016). An effect size primer: A guide for clinicians and researchers.
García-Unanue, J., Pérez-Gómez, J., Giménez, J.-V., Felipe, J. L., Gómez-Pomares, S., Gallardo, L., & Sánchez-Sánchez, J. (2018). Influence of contextual variables and the pressure to keep category on physical match performance in soccer players. PloS One, 13(9), e0204256.
Johnston, R. J., Watsford, M. L., Kelly, S. J., Pine, M. J., & Spurrs, R. W. (2014). Validity and interunit reliability of 10 Hz and 15 Hz GPS units for assessing athlete movement demands. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 28(6), 1649-1655.
Konefał, M., Chmura, P., Tessitore, A., Melcer, T., Kowalczuk, E., Chmura, J., & Andrzejewski, M. (2020). The impact of match location and players’ physical and technical activities on winning in the German Bundesliga. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 1748. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01748.
Konefał, M., Chmura, P., Zając, T., Chmura, J., Kowalczuk, E., & Andrzejewski, M. (2019). A new approach to the analysis of pitch-positions in professional soccer. Journal of Human Kinetics, 66, 143–153.
Lago-Peñas, C. (2012). The role of situational variables in analysing physical performance in soccer. Journal of Human Kinetics, 35(1), 89-95.
Lago, C., Casais, L., Dominguez, E., & Sampaio, J. (2010). The effects of situational variables on distance covered at various speeds in elite soccer. European Journal of Sport Science, 10(2), 103-109.
Modric, T., Versic, S., & Sekulic, D. (2020a). Playing position specifics of associations between running performance during the training and match in male soccer players. Acta Gymnica, 50(2), 51-60.
Modric, T., Versic, S., & Sekulic, D. (2020b). Position Specific Running Performances in Professional Football (Soccer): Influence of Different Tactical Formations. Sports, 8(12), 161.
Modric, T., Versic, S., & Sekulic, D. (2021a). Does aerobic performance define match running performance among professional soccer players? A position-specific analysis. Research in sports medicine (Print), 29(4), 336–348.
Modric, T., Versic, S., & Sekulic, D. (2021b). Relations of the Weekly External Training Load Indicators and Running Performances in Professional Soccer Matches. Sport Mont, 19(1), 31-37.
Modric, T., Versic, S., Sekulic, D., & Liposek, S. (2019). Analysis of the Association between Running Performance and Game Performance Indicators in Professional Soccer Players. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(20), 4032.
Paul, D. J., Bradley, P. S., & Nassis, G. P. (2015). Factors affecting match running performance of elite soccer players: shedding some light on the complexity. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 10(4), 516-519.
Rampinini, E., Coutts, A. J., Castagna, C., Sassi, R., & Impellizzeri, F. (2007). Variation in top level soccer match performance. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 28(12), 1018-1024.
Sæterbakken, A., Haug, V., Fransson, D., Grendstad, H. N., Gundersen, H. S., Moe, V. F., Ylvisaker, E., Shaw, M., Riiser, A., & Andersen, V. (2019). Match running performance on three different competitive standards in norwegian soccer. Sports Medicine International Open, 3(3), E82-E88.
Sarmento, H., Pereira, A., Matos, N., Campaniço, J., Anguera, T. M., & Leitão, J. (2013). English Premier League, Spaińs La Liga and Italýs Seriés A–What’s Different? International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport, 13(3), 773-789.
Trewin, J., Meylan, C., Varley, M. C., Cronin, J., & Ling, D. (2018). Effect of Match Factors on the Running Performance of Elite Female Soccer Players. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 32(7), 2002-2009.
Zhou, C., Hopkins, W. G., Mao, W., Calvo, A. L., & Liu, H. (2019). Match performance of soccer teams in the Chinese super league—effects of situational and environmental factors. International journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(21), 4238.