Analyzing the space for interaction in soccer

Abstract

The aim of the study was to determine ways in which soccer players make spatial use of the pitch during a competition match. Six matches from the Spanish league were studied, recording the spatial location of the players and ball in each individual instance of ball possession (N = 6793) during competitive play. Coding was performed using data obtained from the AMISCO Pro® video tracking system, which enabled the following variables to be recorded: the width (WID), depth (DEP) and surface area (SFA) of a team’s effective playing area; the position of the defensive line (PD) in relation to the goal being defended; the distance between a team’s defensive line and the opposing team (DD), both when the team was in possession of the ball and when it was not; and, for the team with the ball, the distance between the ball and the right touchline (BR) and between the ball and the left touchline (BL). The spatial variables were contextualized, considering the longitudinal location of the ball by dividing the pitch into five transverse zones. The results showed that the values of WID, DEP and SFA were significantly higher when the team was in possession of the ball, as opposed to when it was not. However, this was not the case for the BR and BL variables. Ball possession was, however, associated with significant differences in the case of the PD and DD variables with respect to the five transverse pitch zones. The results of this study shed further light on interaction between soccer teams, and they should help coaches to manage the strategic use of space so as to improve performance.