Download PDF
Int J Sports Med 2021; 42(06): 523-528
DOI: 10.1055/a-1293-8471
Training & Testing

Can Small-side Games Provide Adequate High-speed Training in Professional Soccer?

Jose Asian-Clemente
1   Performance Department, Real Betis Balompié, Seville, Spain
2   Performance Department, Football Sciences Institute, Granada, Spain
3   Faculty of Sport, Pablo de Olavide University, Sevilla, Spain
,
Alberto Rabano-Muñoz
1   Performance Department, Real Betis Balompié, Seville, Spain
,
Borja Muñoz
1   Performance Department, Real Betis Balompié, Seville, Spain
,
Jesus Franco
1   Performance Department, Real Betis Balompié, Seville, Spain
,
Luis Suarez-Arrones
2   Performance Department, Football Sciences Institute, Granada, Spain
3   Faculty of Sport, Pablo de Olavide University, Sevilla, Spain
4   Performance Department, FC Basel, Switzerland
› Author Affiliations Funding: No external sources of funding were provided for this study
› Further Information
Also available at
    Permissions and Reprints

Abstract

The aim was to compare the running activity in official matches with that achieved in two small-sided games, designed with the same relative area per player but with different constraints and field dimensions, aiming to stimulate high-speed and very-high-speed running. Seventeen young professional players played one 5 vs. 5+5 with 2 floaters, varying in terms of whether there was a change of playing area (SSGCA) or not change (SSGNC). Running activity was monitored using GPS and the following variables were recorded: total distance covered; high-speed distance (18–21 km·h−1); very high-speed distance (>21 km·h−1); peak speed; accelerations and decelerations between 2–3 m·s−2 and above 3 m·s−2. SSGCA achieved statistically higher total distance, high-speed, peak speed and number of accelerations and decelerations than SSGNC (large to small magnitude). Both drills showed statistically greater high speed, number of accelerations and decelerations than official matches (large to small magnitude). Moreover, SSGCA exhibited statistically more total distance and distance at higher speed than official matches (moderate and small magnitude, respectively). In contrast, official matches showed statistically higher peak speeds than both training tasks and more very high speed than SSGNC (large and moderate magnitude, respectively). Coaches could use SSGCA to promote greater running activity in soccer players.

Key words

football - match demands - training-load - global positioning system (GPS)


Publication History

Received: 30 April 2020

Accepted: 12 October 2020

Article published online:
11 November 2020

© 2020. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

 

  • References

  • 1 Owen AL, Newton M, Shovlin A. et al. The use of small-sided games as an aerobic fitness assessment supplement within elite level professional soccer. J Hum Kinet 2020; 71: 243-253
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 2 Halouani J, Chtourou H, Gabbett T. et al. Small-sided games in team sports training: A brief review. J Strength Cond Res 2014; 28: 3594-3618
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 3 Sarmento H, Clemente FM, Harper LD. et al. Small sided games in soccer–a systematic review. Int J Perform Anal Sport 2018; 18: 693-749
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 4 Hill-Haas SV, Dawson B, Impellizzeri FM. et al. Physiology of small-sided games training in football: A systematic review. Sports Med 2011; 41: 199-220
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 5 Jones S, Drust B. Physiological and technical demands of 4 v 4 and 8 v 8 in elite youth soccer players. Kinesiology 2007; 39: 150-156
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 6 Gabbett TJ, Mulvey MJ. Time-motion analysis of small-sided training games and competition in elite women soccer players. J Strength Cond Res 2008; 22: 543-552 doi:10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181635597
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 7 Gregson W, Drust B. The physiology of football drills. Insight 2000; 3: 1-2
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 8 Little T. Optimizing the use of soccer drills for physiological development. Strength Cond J 2009; 31: 67-74
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 9 Casamichana D, Castellano J, Castagna C. Comparing the physical demands of friendly matches and small-sided games in semiprofessional soccer players. J Strength Cond Res 2012; 26: 837-843 doi:10.1519/JSC.0b013e31822a61cf
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 10 Clemente FM, Sarmento H, Rabbani A. et al. Variations of external load variables between medium- and large-sided soccer games in professional players. Res Sports Med 2019; 27: 50-59
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 11 Gimenez JV, Del-Coso J, Leicht AS. et al. Comparison of the movement patterns between small- and large-sided game training and competition in professional soccer players. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 2018; 58: 1383-1389
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 12 Dalen T, Sandmael S, Stevens TGA. et al. Differences in acceleration and high-intensity activities between small-sided games and peak periods of official matches in elite soccer players. J Strength Cond Res 2019;
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 13 Lacome M, Simpson BM, Cholley Y. et al. Small-sided games in elite soccer: does one size fit all?. Int J Sports Physiol Perform 2018; 13: 568-576
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 14 Martin-Garcia A, Castellano J, Diaz AG. et al. Positional demands for various-sided games with goalkeepers according to the most demanding passages of match play in football. Biol Sport 2019; 36: 171-180
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 15 Faude O, Koch T, Meyer T. Straight sprinting is the most frequent action in goal situations in professional football. J Sports Sci 2012; 30: 625-631 doi:10.1080/02640414.2012.665940
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 16 Freeman BW, Young WB, Talpey SW. et al. The effects of sprint training and the Nordic hamstring exercise on eccentric hamstring strength and sprint performance in adolescent athletes. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 2019; 59: 1119-1125
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 17 Castellano J, Puente A, Echeazarra I. et al. Influence of the number of players and the relative pitch area per player on heart rate and physical demands in youth soccer. J Strength Cond Res 2015; 29: 1683-1691
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 18 Malone S, Solan B, Collins KD. et al. Positional match running performance in elite gaelic football. J Strength Cond Res 2016; 30: 2292-2298
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 19 Olthof SBH, Frenckensss WGP, Lemmink K. Match-derived relative pitch area changes the physical and team tactical performance of elite soccer players in small-sided soccer games. J Sports Sci 2018; 36: 1557-1563 doi:10.1080/02640414.2017.1403412
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 20 Owen AL, Wong DP, Paul D. et al. Physical and technical comparisons between various-sided games within professional soccer. Int J Sports Med 2014; 35: 286-292
    Thieme ConnectPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 21 Akenhead R, Harley JA, Tweddle SP. Examining the external training load of an english premier league football team with special reference to acceleration. J Strength Cond Res 2016; 30: 2424-2432 doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000001343
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 22 Stevens TGA, de Ruiter CJ, Twisk JWR. et al. Quantification of in-season training load relative to match load in professional Dutch Eredivisie football players. Science and Medicine in Football 2017; 1: 117-125
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 23 Fradua L, Zubillaga A, Caro O. et al. Designing small-sided games for training tactical aspects in soccer: extrapolating pitch sizes from full-size professional matches. J Sports Sci 2013; 31: 573-581
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 24 Harriss DJ, MacSween A, Atkinson G. Ethical standards in sport and exercise science research: 2020 update. Int J Sports Med 2019; 40: 813-817 doi:10.1055/a-1015-3123
    Thieme ConnectPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 25 Hill-Haas SV, Coutts AJ, Dawson BT. et al. Time-motion characteristics and physiological responses of small-sided games in elite youth players: the influence of player number and rule changes. J Strength Cond Res 2010; 24: 2149-2156
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 26 Bastida-Castillo A, Gómez-Carmona CD, Pino-Ortega J. et al. Validity of an inertial system to measure sprint time and sport task time: A proposal for the integration of photocells in an inertial system. Int J Perform Anal Sport 2017; 17: 1-9
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 27 Bastida-Castillo A, Gómez-Carmona CD, De la Cruz-Sánchez E. et al. Accuracy, intra-and inter-unit reliability, and comparison between GPS and UWB-based position-tracking systems used for time-motion analyses in soccer. Int J Perform Anal Sport 2018; 18: 450-457
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 28 Pons E, Garcia-Calvo T, Resta R. et al. A comparison of a GPS device and a multi-camera video technology during official soccer matches: Agreement between systems. PLoS One 2019; 14: e0220729
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 29 Akenhead R, Hayes PR, Thompson KG. et al. Diminutions of acceleration and deceleration output during professional football match play. J Sci Med Sport 2013; 16: 556-561
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 30 Hopkins WG, Marshall SW, Batterham AM. et al. Progressive statistics for studies in sports medicine and exercise science. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2009; 41: 3-13
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 31 Casamichana D, Bradley PS, Castellano J. Influence of the varied pitch shape on soccer players physiological responses and time-motion characteristics during small-sided games. J Hum Kinet 2018; 64: 171-180 doi:10.1515/hukin-2017-0192
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 32 Asian-Clemente J, Suarez-Arrones L, Sánchez S. Differences between distinct spatial orientations based on individual player profile. Retos 2019; 35: 3-6
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 33 Gaudino P, Alberti G, Iaia FM. Estimated metabolic and mechanical demands during different small-sided games in elite soccer players. Hum Mov Sci 2014; 36: 123-133 doi:10.1016/j.humov.2014.05.006
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 34 Rabano-Munoz A, Asian-Clemente J, Saez de Villarreal E. et al. Age-related differences in the physical and physiological demands during small-sided games with floaters. Sports (Basel) 2019; 7: 79
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 35 Torres-Ronda L, Goncalves B, Marcelino R. et al. Heart rate, time-motion, and body impacts when changing the number of teammates and opponents in soccer small-sided games. J Strength Cond Res 2015; 29: 2723-2730
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 36 Sanchez-Sanchez J, Sanchez M, Hernandez D. et al. Physical performance during soccer-7 competition and small-sided games in u12 players. J Hum Kinet 2019; 67: 281-290
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 37 Rago V, Silva JR, Mohr M. et al. Variability of activity profile during medium-sided games in professional soccer. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 2019; 59: 547-554
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 38 Al Haddad H, Mendez-Villanueva A, Torreno N. et al. Variability of GPS-derived running performance during official matches in elite professional soccer players. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 2018; 58: 1439-1445
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar