How Does the Adjustment of Training Task Difficulty Level Influence Tactical Behavior in Soccer?

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate if player tactical skill level and age category influence team performance and player exploratory behavior in tasks with different difficulty levels. Method: In total, 48 youth male soccer players participated in the study (U15, n = 24, mean age = 13.06 ± 1.53 years; U17, n = 24, mean age = 16.89 ± 0.11 years). Player tactical skills were evaluated through the System of Tactical Assessment in Soccer (FUT-SAT), allowing them to be organized into three groups according to tactical efficiency: Higher tactical skill level (Group 01), Intermediate tactical skill level (Group 02), and Lower tactical skill level (Group 03). Next, Group 01 and Group 03 of both categories performed six Small-Sided and Conditioned Games (SSCG) each, namely three High difficulty SSCGs and three Low difficulty SSCGs. Team performance and players' exploratory behavior were analyzed through the Offensive Sequences Characterization System and Lag Sequential Analysis, respectively. Results: We found that team performance and players' exploratory behavior were influenced both by the age and tactical skill level of the players, as well as by task difficulty level. Conclusion: Therefore, in an attempt to improve player performance, practitioners must carefully manipulate key task constraints to adapt training task difficulty levels to player age and tactical skill level.

Decision-Making in Youth Team-Sports Players: A Systematic Review

“…A description of the four included studies can be found in Table 3. In the included studies, one was focused on visual searching strategies [43], one on verbalized knowledge [46], and five of them on movement and response accuracy [25,40,44,45,47].…”

“…Other actions beyond declarative and execution of technical actions were compared between age groups. In the included studies, Machado et al [45] and Gonçalves et al [44] compared the tactical knowledge and behaviors of youth football players from different age groups. Machado et al [45] identified the tactical skill levels of under-15 and under-17 players using System of Tactical Assessment in Soccer (FUT-SAT) during G+3 vs. 3+GK games.…”

“…In the included studies, Machado et al [45] and Gonçalves et al [44] compared the tactical knowledge and behaviors of youth football players from different age groups. Machado et al [45] identified the tactical skill levels of under-15 and under-17 players using System of Tactical Assessment in Soccer (FUT-SAT) during G+3 vs. 3+GK games. After, players participated in different small-sided games of different difficulty levels, through which the players' exploratory behaviors were measured using the offensive sequences characterization system.…”

Tactical Analysis According to Age-level Groups during a 4 vs. 4 Plus Goalkeepers Small-sided Game

“…A study that tested the effects of maturation on tactical efficacy [16] highlighted that maturation and proficiency of peripheral perception (important contributor to making decisions) may justify a better identification of the teammates in a timely position to receive the ball, assertively predict the movements of the teammates and improve searches for new information without central vision. Moreover, the effects of accumulated experience and tactical efficacy (as discriminator of expertise) may lead to changes in exploratory behaviors of players [17]. In a study conducted on youth football players it was possible to observe that youth players with better tactical skill levels and older-age groups presented greater exploratory behaviors in games [17].…”

“…Moreover, the effects of accumulated experience and tactical efficacy (as discriminator of expertise) may lead to changes in exploratory behaviors of players [17]. In a study conducted on youth football players it was possible to observe that youth players with better tactical skill levels and older-age groups presented greater exploratory behaviors in games [17]. Thus, there are reasons to hypothesize that collective dynamics can be affected by age, maturation and expertise level.…”