Technical performance during soccer matches of the Italian Serie A league: Effect of fatigue and competitive level

Summary

The purpose of this study was to examine the changes in technical and physical performance between the first and second half during official matches of Italian Serie A league. Further aim was to compare the technical and physical performance of the players of the more successful teams (ranked in the first 5 positions) with the players of the less successful teams (ranked in the last 5 positions) from the same league. A total of 416 individual games from 186 soccer players (27 ± 4 years, 76 ± 5 kg, and 181 ± 5 cm) were analysed using a video match-analysis system. The match performance parameters analysed were: total distance covered (TD), high-intensity running distance (HIR), very high-intensity running distance (VHIR), total distance with the ball (TDB), high-intensity running distance with the ball (HIRB), and very high-intensity running distance with the ball (VHIRB). The number of skill involvements was also measured. The players from the more successful teams covered greater TDB and HIRB and also had more involvements with the ball, completed more short passes, successful short passes, tackles, dribbling, shots and shots on target compared to the less successful teams (P < 0.01). A significant decline (P < 0.01) between the first and second half was found for both physical performance and some technical scores (involvements with the ball, short passes and successful short passes). This study showed a decline in technical and physical performance between the first and second half, and that both physical performance and technical skills were different between players from more successful and less successful teams.

Introduction

Technical and tactical abilities are considered important for success in soccer. However, while many studies have analysed physical soccer performance using manual or computerised video match-analysis systems,1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 very few studies have investigated the technical performance of professional soccer players.12, 13, 14 Several studies have shown a decrement in physical performance during the match. In particular, some studies have shown that high-intensity running and sprinting decrease between the first and second half.3, 15 This decline in physical work has been linked to match-related physical fatigue.3, 10, 16, 17 A recent study examining English Premier League soccer players has also shown that only players who completed the greatest amount of physical activity in the first half experienced decreased physical performance in the second half.¹⁸ Similar results have been also reported for English Premier League soccer referees.¹⁹ However, while there is evidence that match-related fatigue may lead to a decline of physical performance within match, no studies have examined if there is also a decrease in technical (i.e. skill-related) involvements between the first and second half. A study by Helgerud et al.²⁰ have shown an increase in the involvements with the ball and a decrease in unsuccessful passes after 8 weeks of aerobic interval training. Their findings suggest a link between physical fitness and the fatigue-induced worsening of some technical skills.

It has been previously shown that physical match performance is different between professional soccer players of dissimilar competitive levels.³ Mohr et al.,³ reported that top-class soccer players from the Italian Serie A league covered more total distance, high-intensity running distance and sprinting distance compared to professional players competing in the Danish Professional League. While a previous study have investigated the differences in physical capacities between players of the best and worst team within the same league,²¹ to the authors’ knowledge, no studies have examined the relationships between physical performance during the match and team success amongst a homogenous group of professional soccer players competing within the same national league. Similarly, despite the common belief that technical abilities are important for soccer performance, no studies have examined whether skill-related measures collected during actual match play are different between the players of the more successful teams from their less successful counterparts.

Therefore, the aims of this study were: (1) to verify if a decrease in the technical scores other than physical performance can be detected between the first and second half, and (2) to examine the differences in physical and technical performance between players from the more successful teams (ranked in the first 5 positions of the league) and less successful (team ranked in the last 5 positions of the league) teams during the 2004–2005 Italian Serie A league.