Abstract

This investigation examined match play physical performance across a professional football season using a multicamera computerized tracking system. A linear mixed-effects model, controlling for situational and contextual variables, identified decreases in team average total distance (TD): season quarter 1 (Q1) (11,047 m) > season quarter 2 (Q2) (10,473 m) ( = ; ES = ), season quarter 3 (Q3) (10,449 m) ( < 0.001; ES = ), and season quarter 4 (Q4) (10,385 m) ( < 0.001; ES = ); work rate (WR): Q1 (115 m/min) > Q3 (108 m/min) ( < 0.001; ES = ), Q4 (107 m/min) ( < 0.001; ES = ); Q2 (109 m/min) > Q4 (107 m/min) ( = 0.003; ES = ); high-speed running distance (HSR): Q1 (1,051 m) > Q2 (813 m) ( = 0.006; ES = ); number of high-speed runs (NHSR): Q1 (87) > Q2 (65) ( < 0.001; ES = ), Q3 (64) ( = 0.002; ES = ); sprint distance (SD): Q1 (202 m) > Q4 (130 m) ( < 0.001; ES = ), Q2 (179 m) > Q3 (165 m) ( = 0.035; ES = ), Q4 (130 m) ( < 0.001; ES = ) and number of sprints (NS): Q1 (20.4) > Q3 (10.2) ( < 0.001; ES = ), Q4 (8.3) ( < 0.001; ES = ); Q2 (14.9) > Q3 (10.2) ( < 0.001; ES = ), Q4 (8.3) ( < 0.001; ES = ). Within-position changes were observed for WR: Q1 (122 m/min) > Q4 (113 m/min) ( = 0.002; ES = ) in central midfielders and for NS: Q1 > Q3 in wide defenders (21.7 vs. 10.8) ( = 0.044; ES = ) and central midfielders (18.1 vs. 8.3) ( = 0.002; ES = ); Q1 > Q4 in central defenders (13.1 vs. 5.3) ( = 0.014; ES = ), wide defenders (21.6 vs. 7.1) ( < 0.001; ES = ), central midfielders (18.1 vs. 8.5) ( = 0.005; ES = ), and wide midfielders (20.8 vs. 12.2) ( = 0.012; ES = ); Q2 > Q3 in central midfielders (16.9 vs. 8.3) ( = 0.002; ES = ) and Q2 > Q4 in wide defenders (16.3 vs. 7.1) ( = 0.005; ES = ), central midfielders (16.9 vs. 8.5) ( = 0.004; ES = ), and wide midfielders (20.8 vs. 12.2) ( = 0.007; ES = ). The match-play physical performance was reduced across the competitive season. The most notable reductions were observed in wide defenders, central midfielders, and wide midfielders in sprint performance indices.

RAS ID

45273

Document Type

Journal Article

Date of Publication

1-1-2020

Volume

2

PubMed ID

33345130

School

School of Medical and Health Sciences

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Publisher

Frontiers

Comments

Springham, M., Williams, S., Waldron, M., Burgess, D., & Newton, R. U. (2020). Large reductions in match play physical performance variables across a professional football season with control for situational and contextual variables. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 2, 120. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2020.570937

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Link to publisher version (DOI)

10.3389/fspor.2020.570937