Exploring numerical unbalanced scenarios in ball possession small-sided soccer games

Abstract

Players’ performance in soccer results from their ability to use the environmental information to sustain their decision-making pro- cess. However, when players are exposed to different rules, as unbalanced number scenarios, different behaviours may emerge compared to equal number. This study aimed to explore the effects of playing different numerical unbalanced ball possession small-sided games on external workload (distance covered while walking, running, sprinting, and max speed) and internal load of perceptions (RPE) on under-23 soccer players. Twenty-one players participated in this study, performing a 4-series of 4vsX (2, 3, 4, 5 and 6) SSGs for ball possession on a 30x25m playing area. On the opposition-based perspective, variables were analysed by fixing the same four players and compared them against 2 (High- Superiority), 3 (Superiority), 4 (Balanced), 5 (Inferiority) and 6 (High- Inferiority); on the cooperation-based perspective, variables were analysed by comparing performances from the same 2 players when counting with 0 (Very Low-Cooperation), 1 (Low- Cooperation), 2 (Balanced), 3 (High-Cooperation) and 4 (Very High- Cooperation). Global positioning system was used to collect exter- nal workload and Borg Scale CR10 to RPE. Pairwise comparisons were carried with 95% Confidence Intervals. The experimental protocol and investigation were approved by the local Institutional Research Ethics Committee and performed in accor- dance with the ethical standards of the Helsinki Declaration. Written informed consent procedure was undertaken with all participants, the coach and the club before data collection. In opposition, differences were found for High-Superiority (4v2), with large effects on running and RPE, and for High-Inferiority (4v6) on sprinting, max speed and RPE. In cooperation, differences were found on Very Low-Cooperation (4v2+0), with very large effects on walking and large effects on running and sprinting; and on Very High-Cooperation (4v2+4), with large effects on running, max speed and RPE. Greater effects were observed on unbalanced formats of two players, for both perspectives: teams in numerical inferiority covered more distances at higher intensities and perceived the exercise more intense, while teams in super- iority covered more walking distance. As so, coaches may use inferiority scenarios to foster players’ physical demands (e.g., for players that did not perform 60 min of the match), while using a team in superiority (e.g., line up players) to perform active recovery, while simultaneous developing the ability to maintain ball possession.