The Relationship between Different Large-Sided Games and Official Matches on Professional Football Players’ Locomotor Intensity

Abstract

Large-sided games (LSG) are commonly used in the training contexts for providing either technical/tactical or locomotor/physiological stimuli. Despite natural similarities with the official match, the locomotor profile seems to be different, which must be considered by the coaches to identify compensatory strategies for achieving the ideal dose of training. The aim of this study was two-fold: (1) to investigate the locomotor demands imposed by LSGs and the official matches; and (2) to compare the effect of different pitch sizes’ LSG conditions in the locomotor demands. This study followed an observational design. Sixteen professional football players from the same team (26.3 ± 3.0 years old) were included. The study was conducted over four weeks. The same GK + 10 × 10 + GK play format with different pitch sizes (i.e., area per player ranging between 195 m2 to 291 m2) was analyzed. Three official matches were also collected in which the 10 most demanding minutes were considered for further comparisons. Only the same players who participated in matches were considered in comparison with the LSG. The data were obtained using a 10-Hz global positioning system technology. Total distance (TD) and mechanical work (MW) scores increased 20% and 23%, respectively, between the smallest and biggest pitch sizes (p < 0.001). There was a significant difference in locomotor intensity metrics between opponents from different positions on the table (p = 0.001). The biggest LSG (i.e., 291 m2 per player) was the only one that required similar levels of locomotor intensity as required in the official full match. The present study demonstrates that LSG pitch size variation requires different locomotor intensities. Bigger pitch sizes cause an increase in TD and MW. In addition, considering the position on the table, the level of opponents induces different TD covered. Finally, the largest LSG simulates the official match more accurately.

Comparison of physical demands between positional games and matches in elite soccer players

“…On the other hand, 10 vs. 10 + 1F + 2GK was the only format with mean values similar to matches for most variables of the study (except in MS). Other studies have found that larger pitch sizes caused an increase in TD and mechanical work, but with more relative playing area per player designs (10 vs. 10 + 2GK; 291 m 2 per player; Caldeira et al, 2022). In another comparison among different large-sided game formats (8 vs. 8 and 10 vs. 10, among others) with matches, only 10 vs. 10 (342 m 2 per player) allowed players to reach similar running intensities to those of competition (TD and high-intensity running at speed > 14.4 km/h) (Lacome et al, 2018).…”

Exploring the interplay between metabolic power and equivalent distance in training games and official matches in soccer: a machine learning approach

“…It could provide a more accurate measure of the physical demands of a match or training session than simply measuring the total distance covered ( Pillitteri et al, 2023a ). ED considers that different movements have varying metabolic demands and thus contribute differently to a player’s overall physical workload ( Osgnach et al, 2010 ; Caldeira et al, 2022 ). It was demonstrated that the equivalent distance index (EDI), the ratio between the ED and the total distance covered in a match or TGs, showed a strong correlation with accelerations and decelerations events; for this reason, both metabolic and traditional approaches based on time spent in arbitrarily chosen running speed categories should be used together for load monitoring in professional soccer players.…”