The influence of tactical formation on physical and technical performance across playing positions in the Chinese super league

This study aimed to investigate the impact of tactical formations on the physical and technical performance of professional football players in the Chinese Super League (CSL). A sample of 800 games from the 2015-2021 CSL was analyzed, and players' physical (total distance covered, distance covered while ball in play, number of sprints, sprint distance, and high/middle/low-speed running) and technical (gain/loss of possession, ball retention percentage, challenges, challenge success percentage, passes, and pass success percentage) performance was assessed across six team formations: 3-5-2 (n = 137), 4-3-3 (n = 77), 4-2-3-1 (n = 391), 4-4-2 (n = 257), 3-4-3 (n = 41), and 4-1-4-1 (n = 107). Linear mixed models were used to assess variations in performance indicators across positions and formations. The results demonstrated that central defenders traveled significantly more total and low-speed running distances in the 3-5-2 formation than in the 4-2-3-1 formation (ES range: 0.33-0.34, p < 0.01). Fullbacks in the 3-5-2 formation demonstrated more high-speed running than did those in the 4-4-2 formation (ES = 0.27, p = 0.04). The central midfielders exhibited significantly more sprints and longer sprint distances in the 4-2-3-1 formation than in the 4-4-2 formation (ES range: 0.2-0.24, p < 0.01). Regarding technical performance, central defenders displayed significantly greater ball retention percentages, passes, and pass success rates in the 3-4-3 than in the 3-5-2 formations (ES range: 0.58-0.65, p < 0.01). Moreover, fullbacks and central midfielders executed markedly more passes with superior pass success rates in 4-back formations than in 3-5-2 formations (ES range: 0.2-0.53, p < 0.01). These findings can help coaches and academic staff understand the physical and technical requirements of various positions in various tactical formations, thus optimizing the training process.

Modelling women's team line-ups based on effectiveness and quality

Understanding how different player rotations may impact team performance allows basketball coaches to select effective line-ups for specific tactical scenarios. The study aimed to i) assess how different line-ups or player combinations impact a team's game performance; ii) explore the variations in line-up utilization among different national women's basketball teams; and iii) examine how the offensive efficiency of each line-up evolves during the game. Data from 3,387 ball possessions in 23 international women's basketball games were collected across four major competitions over six years. Offensive and defensive ratings, along with other features, were calculated. Then, a Markov chain model distinguished overperforming and underperforming line-ups of Chinese women's basketball team, determining long-term probabilities for each rating level. The results indicated that i) the most dominant offensive line-up of the Chinese women's basketball team, is PG-G-SF-PF-C, while G-G-F-PF-PF had the highest defensive rating; and ii) US and Australian women's basketball teams favour using line-ups with three guards, while the Chinese women's basketball team heavily relies on centre players. These results offer valuable insights for coaches regarding the performance of different line-ups in FIBA Female Basketball Competitions, optimizing line-up performance and aiding talent selection and recruitment at the international level.

How the 12th Man Influences Football Matches: The Role of Fans and Referees in the Home Advantage Phenomenon

Home advantage and referee bias are two sport factors that have been widely studied in the football (i.e., soccer) context. However, the mediating effect of spectators on these factors is not well understood, especially in the Turkish Super League. We examined (a) how variables of home advantage, referee bias, and spectator presence interacted to affect the outcome of past football matches; (b) how these variables have changed over time in the Turkish Super League; (c) and whether home advantage and referee bias differ in matches with spectators and ghost matches (without spectators). We analyzed regular season matches played in the Turkish Super League between the 2014-2015 and 2021-2022 seasons. We found that home teams had a significant advantage over away teams in matches with spectators (p < .001) and in ghost matches (p < .05 and p < .001), with small to medium effect sizes (d = .09 and .34, respectively). Regarding referee bias, away teams received more yellow cards and fewer penalties than home teams in matches with spectators (p < .001; d = -.10), and away teams received fewer yellow cards than home teams in ghost matches (p > .05; d = .05). There was no statistically significant difference between home and away teams on number of red cards in either type of match (p > .05). Thus, our data reveal that home teams have an edge over away teams with and without spectators, but this advantage is reduced during ghost matches (without spectators). We also revealed weak evidence of referee bias in favor of home teams, but only for some variables and only when spectators were present.

Differences in Technical Performance of Players From 'The Big Five' European Football Leagues in the UEFA Champions League

The current study aimed to identify the differences in technical performance between players from clubs of Bundesliga (Germany), La Liga (Spain), Ligue 1 (France), Premier League (England) and Serie A (Italy) when competing in the matches of the UEFA Champions League. Technical performance-related match data of 1,291 players from 1,125 matches (9,799 observations) of the UEFA Champions League (seasons 2009/2010-2017/2018) were collected and analysed. The generalised mixed linear modelling was employed taking the names of the league as the independent variable to predict the count number of 20 technical performance-related match actions and events performed by players belonging to different leagues. The non-clinical magnitude-based inference was used to evaluate the uncertainty in the true effects of the predictor. Results showed that differences in the technical performances between players from La Liga, Premier League and Ligue 1 were all trivial. Bundesliga players made higher numbers of shots than players from La Liga, Premier League and Serie A and achieved more long balls than players from Ligue 1. Serie A players achieved lower numbers of ball touches, passes and lower pass accuracy per match than players from any of the other four leagues. In addition, players from Serie A performed a higher number of long balls per match than Ligue 1 players and lower number of dribbles per match than Premier League players. Non-significant differences in other variables related to passing and organising and all variables related to defending were identified in players between the five leagues. The identified differences in technical performance among leagues could provide a more thorough understanding for practitioners working within the fields of talent identification, player development, player recruitment, coaching and match preparation.