6This study examined players' tactical behaviours based on core tactical principles during 7 small-sided and conditioned games (SSCG) with and without floaters on the sidelines. 8 A total of 24,068 tactical actions performed by 168 Under-17 academy soccer players 9 were assessed using the System of Tactical Assessment in Soccer (FUT-SAT; Teoldo, 12 revealed that players showed different tactical behaviours depending on the SSCG 13 format and playing phase. In "Floaters off" SSCG, players more frequently performed 14 the core tactical principles of concentration during the defensive phase and penetration 15 for the offensive phase of play creating more opportunities for 1 vs. 1 situations. In 16 contrast, in the "Floaters sidelines" SSCG, players made more effective use of playing 17 space (width and length) in the opponent's half during the offensive phase; and limited 18 the space for the opponent by compacting the defence in their own half (defensive unity) 19 due to numerical disadvantage during defensive phase. Findings suggest that the use of 20 floaters (on the sidelines) encourage players to keep ball possession during offensive 21 organisation, as well as promote the team's defensive stability by decreasing the spaces 22 between teammates during defensive organisation.23 24

This study determined whether a multivariate profile more effectively discriminated selected than non-selected elite youth Brazilian soccer players. This examination was carried out on 66 youth soccer players (selected, n = 28, mean age 16.3 ± 0.1; non-selected, n = 38, mean age 16.7 ± 0.4) using objective instruments. Multivariate profiles were assessed through anthropometric characteristics, biological maturation, tactical-technical skills, and motor performance. The Student’s t-test identified that selected players exhibited significantly higher values for height (t = 2.331, p = 0.02), lean body mass (t = 2.441, p = 0.01), and maturity offset (t = 4.559, p < 0.001), as well as performed better in declarative tactical knowledge (t = 10.484, p < 0.001), shooting (t = 2.188, p = 0.03), dribbling (t = 5.914, p < 0.001), speed – 30 m (t = 8.304, p < 0.001), countermovement jump (t = 2.718, p = 0.008), and peak power tests (t = 2.454, p = 0.01). Forward stepwise discriminant function analysis showed that declarative tactical knowledge, running speed –30 m, maturity offset, dribbling, height, and peak power correctly classified 97% of the selected players. These findings may have implications for a highly efficient selection process with objective measures of youth players in soccer clubs.

In soccer, different tactical behaviours of individuals are necessary to perform well as a team. The demands put on players from different positional roles can be manipulated in training through small-sided and conditioned games and tactical behaviours might be stimulated. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of positional role in tactical behaviour of U-17 youth soccer players based on core tactical principles in a four-a-side small-sided and conditioned game. The sample was comprised of 268 U-17 youth Brazilian soccer players. They were of five positional roles: centre backs; fullbacks; defensive midfielders; offensive midfielders; and forwards. The instrument used to collect and analyse data was the System of Tactical Assessment in Soccer (FUT-SAT). Results revealed that players of different positional roles showed no differences in the quantity of tactical actions performed. Moreover, forwards showed lower quality of tactical behaviour in the defensive phase (M=69.1, SD=16.0; p&lt;.05) compared to fullbacks (M=77.0, SD=13.1; p&lt;.05) and worse in actions far from the ball that ensured team cohesion in the defensive phase (M=69.7, SD=22.8; p&lt;.05) compared to fullbacks (M=80.1, SD=18.4; p&lt;.05). This study showed that the four-a-side format allows U-17 players to perform a similar quantity of tactical actions regardless of their positional role, but the player’s positional role influence quality of their tactical behaviour. Therefore, this structure might be used for trainings that promotes similar tasks and stimuli for players’ development that do not focus on specific tactical roles.

We examined the effect of physiological workload on gaze behaviour during defensive performance in 2 vs. 1 +goalkeeper game situations in football. Twenty-two players were assigned to either a high- or low-performing group based on a validated measure of tactical performance. A total of 12 game sequences (trials) were presented under high- and low-workload conditions. At the end of each sequence, participants were asked to indicate their perceived exertion using the Rating Scale of Mental Effort and the Borg Scale. The low- and high-workload conditions were defined when the players achieved 60 and 90% of their maximal heart rate, respectively, as per their performance in the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test. Visual search behaviours were recorded using Tobii Pro eye-movement registration glasses. Players reported higher rates of perceived exertion on the high- compared to low-workload condition. Participants in the low-performing group increased their average fixation duration and decreased the number of fixations and number of fixation locations from the low- to high-workload conditions. The low- and high-performing groups displayed different visual search strategies with regards the areas of interest fixated upon. Participants in the high-performing group focused on the SpaceFrontPlayer, followed by Ball, and AnotherOpponent. The low-performing group spent more time focusing on the SpaceFrontPlayer and SpacePlayer than Ball and AnotherOpponent. It appears that physiological workload and tactical expertise interact in constraining visual search behaviours in football players. Coaches and practitioners should consider ways to manipulate individual and task constraints while attending to the close interplay between physiological workload, visual behaviour, and tactical performance during practise.

Resumo: O objetivo do presente estudo foi analisar a produção científica referente aos aspectos tático-técnicos nos JEC publicada em periódicos brasileiros entre 2000 e 2015.Por meio da busca online em 14 revistas, foram selecionados 335 artigos. Os trabalhos foram classificados nas seguintes categorias temáticas: Análise do desempenho tático-técnico, Metodologias de ensino, Análise do desempenho energético-funcional, Formação de treinadores, Formação de atletas e Outros. A partir de 2009, verifica-se um aumento substancial no número de publicações. A maior frequência de publicações (60,9%) encontra-se entre as temáticas Análise do desempenho tático-técnico e Metodologias de ensino. Adicionalmente, das 16 modalidades esportivas exibidas nos artigos, o futebol e o futsal contemplam 50,7% das publicações. Conclui-se que a produção científica acerca dos aspectos tático-técnicos nos JEC ainda é pouco abrangente e plural, portanto, mais estudos são necessários, sobretudo na Formação de Treinadores e Atletas, assim como em modalidades esportivas coletivas para pessoas com deficiência.Abstract: This study examined scientific production on tactical-technical aspects of team sports, published in Brazilian journals between 2000 and 2015. After an online search in 14 journals, 335 articles were selected and classified under the following thematic categories: Tactical-technical performance analysis; Teaching methodologies; Energy-functional performance analysis; Coach training; Athletes' training; and others. The number of publications has seen substantial increase since 2009. The higher frequencies of publications (60.9%) are distributed among themes related to Tactical-technical performance analysis and Teaching methodologies. Additionally, of 16 sports presented in the articles, Football and Futsal accounted for 50.7% of publications. We found that scientific production related to tactical-technical aspects in team sports is still not comprehensive and plural. Therefore, more studies are needed, especially on Coach and Athletes' Training, as well as team sports for people with disabilities.Resumen: El objetivo de este estudio fue analizar la producción científica sobre los aspectos técnicos y tácticos en los Juegos de Deportes Colectivos (JDC) en revistas brasileñas entre 2000 y 2015. A través de la búsqueda online en 14 revistas, fueron seleccionados 335 artículos. Los estudios fueron clasificados: Análisis del rendimiento técnico-táctico, Metodologías de enseñanza, Análisis de rendimiento funcional de energía, formación de entrenadores, Formación de atletas y otros. Desde 2009, ha habido un aumento sustancial en el número de publicaciones. La mayor frecuencia de publicaciones (60.9%) se encuentra entre las temáticas: Análisis de rendimiento técnico-táctico y las Metodologías de enseñanza. Fútbol y Futbol de sala incluyen el 50.7% de las publicaciones. Se concluye que la producción científica sobre los aspectos tácticos y técnicos es incompleta, se necesitan, más estudios, especialmente en la formación de los entrenador...