Possession or position games: What is the key in soccer?

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Exercise Physiology
• Soccer Training

Background:

• Soccer training drills vary in their ability to elicit specific physiological and biomechanical responses.
• Understanding the external load differences between possession and position games is crucial for optimizing training prescription.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the running performance and external load of possession games versus position games in professional soccer players.
• To analyze how different pitch dimensions influence the external load during position games.

Main Methods:

• Twenty-five professional soccer players participated in 18 possession and 18 position games (9 vs. 9 + 2 floaters).
• Games were conducted on small, medium, and large pitches, with external load monitored using GPS (WIMU Pro).

Main Results:

• Position games showed lower distance covered and peak speed but higher maximal acceleration and deceleration compared to possession games.
• Larger pitch sizes in position games significantly increased distance covered, high-speed running, peak speed, and player load.
• Larger pitch sizes also led to higher maximal acceleration/deceleration but fewer accelerations/decelerations overall.

Conclusions:

• Possession and position games elicit distinct external load profiles, with position games emphasizing higher intensity accelerations and decelerations.
• Pitch size is a critical factor in modulating the external load of position games, with larger areas increasing overall running demands.
• Coaches can manipulate game format and pitch dimensions to tailor external training loads for soccer players.