Albin Tenga
Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, Norway
Title: Multiple-cases study of the effects of defensive team tactics on movement intensity and match performance in soccer World Cup 2014
Biography
Biography: Albin Tenga
Abstract
Soccer teams' playing formation (Bradley et al., 2011), game structure (Tenga et al., 2015) and performance level (Vogelbein et al., 2014) have been shown to affect match performance. In the present study the effects of different defensive team tactics, namely man-oriented, zone-oriented and aggressive group-pressure, on teams' movement intensity and defensive performance was explored during soccer match play. A comparative multiple-cases study of Argentina (n=5), Chile (n=3) and Netherland (n=4) national teams' 90-minute matches was conducted. Results show that type of defensive organisation had a significant influence on HI distance (F2,9 = 4.6, P = 0.041) and Sprint distance (F2,9 = 7.6, P = 0.012), as well as a strong tendency to significant influence on the number of conceded free kicks (F2,9 = 4.1, P = 0.054) per match. For example, Chile (342±85.9 m) performed significantly more Sprint distance per match than both Argentina (182.0±17.6 m; P=0.015) and Netherland (290.8±57.6 m; P=0.056). Regarding defensive performance, Netherland tended to concede more free kicks per match (21.4±7.2) than Argentina (9.3±2.2; P=0.060), but not Chile (18.0±8.5; P=0.323). The differences specific to defensive organisation were evident, especially in teams' movement intensity. Chile's aggressive group-pressure proved to be the most physically demanding and that man-oriented defence practiced by Netherland showed the highest risk of conceding free kicks. Employing zone-oriented defence, Argentina reached the final with the least high intensity activities and lowest number of conceded free kicks per match.