ABSTRACT
Time-motion analysis studies have provided a breakdown of match time between different locomotive movements for men’s soccer (e.g. O’Donoghue et al., 2001). The movement of soccer players has been expressed as distance covered (e.g. Reilly and Thomas, 1976; Ohashi et al., 1988) and the frequency and duration of high-intensity bursts and recovery periods (O’Donoghue et al., 2005). Such information has yet to indicate the patterns of movement in soccer as well as the deceleration and turning movements. These aspects provide important information concerning the agility demands of soccer. Sprinting has often been selected as a mode of motion for analysis and relates to acceleration and speed. However, following every sprint there must also be a phase of deceleration which has not been included in previous time-motion analyses and as a consequence, this detail is lacking or otherwise incorporated as a separate category such as running or jogging. Furthermore, due to the need to change direction, cut, spin or twist acutely and rapidly, players are required to perform braking movements which can have a high eccentric stress (Woods et al., 2004). Turning ability has previously been related with the velocity of movement in soccer (Grehaigne et al., 1997). Players who are travelling at ≤2 m.s-1 appear to be able to turn in a sector ≤240o during movement with respect to the direction they are moving in. However, the scope for direction change decreases as velocity increases with players restricted to a sector of ≤80o of potential movement when moving at speeds ≥5 m.s-1. This method was used to analyse the pre-goal phases of the 1992 European Nations Cup final between Denmark and Germany (Grehaigne et al., 1997). Players attempting to turn acutely at high velocities risk losing balance. Also players who are aware of opponents’ manoeuvrability based on current velocity can play the ball in a way that does not cross any turning sector of coverage.
