Influence of the Area per Player in Non-Professional Soccer Players: A Pilot Study Focused on Positional Roles

Annamaria Mancini, Daniela Vitucci, Pasquale Meo, Adriano Capobianco, Domenico Martone, Francesca Cozzolino, Pasqualina Buono, Esther Imperlini and Stefania Orrù
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Annamaria Mancini: Dipartimento di Scienze Motorie e del Benessere, Università degli Studi di Napoli Parthenope, 80133 Naples, Italy
Daniela Vitucci: CEINGE-Biotecnologie Avanzate, 80133 Naples, Italy
Pasquale Meo: Dipartimento di Scienze Motorie e del Benessere, Università degli Studi di Napoli Parthenope, 80133 Naples, Italy
Adriano Capobianco: Dipartimento di Scienze Motorie e del Benessere, Università degli Studi di Napoli Parthenope, 80133 Naples, Italy
Domenico Martone: Dipartimento di Scienze Motorie e del Benessere, Università degli Studi di Napoli Parthenope, 80133 Naples, Italy
Francesca Cozzolino: Dipartimento di Scienze Motorie e del Benessere, Università degli Studi di Napoli Parthenope, 80133 Naples, Italy
Pasqualina Buono: Dipartimento di Scienze Motorie e del Benessere, Università degli Studi di Napoli Parthenope, 80133 Naples, Italy
Esther Imperlini: IRCCS SDN, 80133 Naples, Italy
Stefania Orrù: Dipartimento di Scienze Motorie e del Benessere, Università degli Studi di Napoli Parthenope, 80133 Naples, Italy

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 18, 1-16

Abstract: This study analyses the influence of different area per player (A P ; 75, 98 and 131 m 2 ) on the average metabolic power (MP) and other soccer-related performance variables in relation to the positional roles. We recruited 19 non-professional male soccer players (25.2 ± 6.3 y; 23.7 ± 2.3 kg/m 2 ; 16.4 ± 6.3 y soccer experience) to play three different small-sided games (SSGs): SSG1 (5 vs. 5; 30 × 30 m; 5 min), SSG2 (5 vs. 5; 35 × 45 m; 5 min) and SSG3 (7 vs. 7; 35 × 45 m; 8 min). Specific playing rules were applied. GPS-assessed soccer-related variables were: average MP (AMP), distance covered in 1 min (DIS); % time spent at high speed (v > 16 km/h; % hst) or MP (>20 W/kg; % hmpt); % distance covered at high positive/negative speed (2 < v < 4 m/s 2 , % ACC; −6 < v < −2 m/s 2 , % DEC); and number of actions at high MP (hmpa). All recorded variables differed when each SSG was compared to the others ( p < 0.05), but for hmpa for attackers. Most performance variables were positively associated with increasing A P ( p < 0.05), but for % ACC and % DEC, and differed among positional roles within the same SSG ( p < 0.05). Here the general applicability of SSGs, regardless the physical/technical skills of the group of players, to enhance performance is confirmed; furthermore, quantitative advices on AMP and other performance variables are provided to achieve significant improvements in all soccer players of the team.

Keywords: small-sided games; area per player; metabolic power; soccer positional roles (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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