Identification and Preference of Game Styles in LaLiga Associated with Match Outcomes

Castellano, Julen; Pic, Miguel

doi:10.3390/ijerph16245090

Cited by 38 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…Styles of play are characteristics playing patterns demonstrated by a team during games (Hewitt et al, 2016), and are useful to describe the general tactical behavior of the team in competition. Previous studies identified different styles of play in the Spanish and English leagues (Fernandez-Navarro et al, 2016;Gollan et al, 2018;Castellano and Pic, 2019), Chinese league (Lago-Peñas et al, 2017), and Greek league (Gomez et al, 2018). These studies showed a…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 91%

Tactical Variables Related to Gaining the Ball in Advanced Zones of the Soccer Pitch: Analysis of Differences Among Elite Teams and the Effect of Contextual Variables

et al. 2020

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Attacking tactical variables have been commonly studied in soccer to analyze teams' performance. However, few studies investigated defensive tactical variables during match-play and the influence of contextual variables on them. The aims of the present study were (1) to examine the defensive behaviors of soccer teams when gaining the ball in advanced zones of the pitch and (2) to evaluate the effect of contextual variables on these defensive behaviors. A sample of 1,095 defensive pieces of play initiated in the opposing half of the pitch obtained from 10 matches of the season 2010/11 of La Liga and involving 13 teams was collected using the semiautomated tracking system Amisco Pro. Five defensive tactical variables, the outcome of defensive pieces of play, and contextual variables (i.e., match status, venue, quality of opposition, and match period) were recorded for every defensive piece initiated in the opposing half of the pitch. Results showed that there were significant differences among teams in the outcome of defensive pieces of play originating from the opposing half (χ 2 = 111.87, p < 0.01, ϕ c = 0.22), and in the outcome of offensive pieces of play following ball gains (χ 2 = 49.92, p < 0.001, ϕ c = 0.22). Cluster analysis revealed four groups describing different defensive behaviors from high-pressure to a defense close to their own goal. Match status (χ 2 = 25.87, p < 0.05, ϕ c = 0.11) and quality of opposition (χ 2 = 21.19, p < 0.05, ϕ c = 0.10) were the contextual variables that showed a significant effect on defensive pieces of play initiated in the opposite half of the pitch. Teams winning gained more balls in the zone close to their own goal, and losing teams gained more balls in advanced zones of the pitch. Moreover, the greater the quality of the opponent the lesser the chance of gaining the ball in advanced zones of the pitch. Neither venue or match period influenced the defensive pieces of play analyzed. Soccer teams could employ a similar analysis to improve their performance and prepare for opposition teams in competition.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 91%

Tactical Variables Related to Gaining the Ball in Advanced Zones of the Soccer Pitch: Analysis of Differences Among Elite Teams and the Effect of Contextual Variables

et al. 2020

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“…Not only does the match status interact with the playing style, but also certain performance factors can be linked to a specific style. The success factors could vary between those playing styles and contribute to a better understanding of the mechanism of success in football (Courneya and Cheiadurai, 1991 ; Fernandez-Navarro et al, 2016 , 2018 ; Hewitt et al, 2016 ; Lago-Peñas et al, 2017 ; Gómez et al, 2018 ; Castellano and Pic, 2019 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Success Factors in the FIFA 2018 World Cup in Russia and FIFA 2014 World Cup in Brazil

2021

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Research on success factors in football focusing on national teams is sparse. The current study examines the success factors during the World Cup 2018 in Russia and the World Cup 2014 in Brazil. A total of 128 matches were analyzed using a generalized order logit approach. Twenty-nine variables were identified from previous research. The results showed that defensive errors (p = 0.0220), goal efficiency (p = 0.0000), duel success (p = 0.0000), tackles success (p = 0.0100), shots from counterattacks (p = 0.0460), clearances (p = 0.0130), and crosses (p = 0.0160) have a significant influence on winning a match during those tournaments. Ball possession, distance, and market value of the teams had no influence on success. Overall, most of the critical success factors and those with the highest impact on winning close games were defensive actions. Moreover, the results suggest that direct play and pressing were more effective than ball possession play. The study contributes to a better understanding of success factors and can help to improve effectiveness of training, match preparation, and coaching.

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“…The interaction between the contextual variables as the match status and quality of opposition, and venue and quality of opposition were studied by Fernández-Navarro et al ( 2018 ) determining its influence in styles of play in soccer match play. Further, in a study that analyzed the style of play of the 20 teams of La Liga in Spain in the 2016–2017 season, Castellano and Pic ( 2019 ) concluded that the realities of the competition forced the teams to adapt to contextual variables (opponent, location, position in the classification, etc.) in order to succeed.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Perceptions of Football Analysts Goal-Scoring Opportunity Predictions: A Qualitative Case Study

et al. 2021

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This study aimed to understand the way tactical football analysts perceive the general match analysis issues and to analyze their tactical interpretation of the predictive models of conceded goal-scoring opportunities. Nine tactical analysts responded to the semi-structured interviews that included a general section on the match analysis and a specific one on the results of a study on goal-scoring opportunities conceded by a Spanish La Liga team. Following their transcription, the interviews were codified into categories by the two researchers using Atlas Ti® software. Subsequently, frequency count and co-occurrence analysis were performed based on the encodings. The content analysis reflected that analysts play a crucial role in the analysis of their own team and that of the opponent, the essential skills to exercise as a tactical analyst being “understanding of the game” and “clear observation methodology.” Based on the case study of the conceded goal-scoring opportunities, the major causes and/or solutions attributed by analysts in some of the predictive models were the adaptability of the “style of play” itself according to the “opponent” and “pressure after losing.”

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Identification and Preference of Game Styles in LaLiga Associated with Match Outcomes

Cited by 38 publications

References 33 publications

Tactical Variables Related to Gaining the Ball in Advanced Zones of the Soccer Pitch: Analysis of Differences Among Elite Teams and the Effect of Contextual Variables

Tactical Variables Related to Gaining the Ball in Advanced Zones of the Soccer Pitch: Analysis of Differences Among Elite Teams and the Effect of Contextual Variables

Success Factors in the FIFA 2018 World Cup in Russia and FIFA 2014 World Cup in Brazil

Perceptions of Football Analysts Goal-Scoring Opportunity Predictions: A Qualitative Case Study

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